To the Morrow, For the Past
by Interstella
Summary: What if Sephiroth had been rescued from the science department as a baby? What if he had been raised in a loving and safe home? Would he be the same man in the end? In which, Cloud has a new mission from the Planet. "Save Him". Him being a two week old Sephiroth. Set post Advent Children
1. Save Him

To the Morrow for the Past.

Chapter 1 – Save Him –

The pain came first. Agony ripping into his head and clawing at his core, forcing a cry from his lips and his knees to buckle. Over the screeching roar, he could vaguely hear the shocked and concerned noise of his friend. His breath caught in his throat as his entire being forced out outside stimulus, deming it unimportant.

The fear came next. Fear. Panic. Horror. He knew this pain, it was all too familiar. The feeling of his head splitting apart as his body was taken over, nothing more than a puppet. He couldn't focus, his vision dark, his mind knowing nothing but the all consuming pain.

Jenova.

But she was gone. Destroyed. Remaining only in the bloodstream of those effected by Geostigma. How could she cause this? How-

His thoughts were thin. Failing to get traction and slipping through his mind like the reminants of a dream. The pain was distracting. Almost all consuming. But the fear... The fear was instinct. The fear was weakness.

The pain. The pain-

The pain was gone. As sudden as it had begun, it stopped - leaving him unbalanced and feeling slightly lost. Taking a deep breath, Cloud steadied himself before opening his eyes, letting his hands drop from their shaking grip on his head.

He wasn't where he had expected to be. When the pain had hit him, he'd been in the bar helping Tifa set up for the evening. His trips back to 7th Haven were becoming more and more frequent since Sephiroth's most recent defeat. He had nothing left to hide from, no reason _not_ to go back. He was sure that he'd been in Tifa's bar.

But when his eyes opened, he found himself in another familiar place. Aerith's garden. The familiar blossoms crunched benieth his feet as they sunk lightly into the mossy ground. He had always liked Aerith's flowers, their pale pettals standing in stark contrast to the vibrant green grass. Even now, years later, he could still see her in his mind, tending to the flowers of the church and humming lightly to herself. Even on his darkest days, that memory could always bring a bitter sweet comfort to him.

Somehow things were different now. Subtle at first, but then it became glaringly obvious to him. In his few previous visits, it had been more dreamlike. The hazy white sky had been bright, but empty, the flowers below him had been beautiful but scentless. Now, he could smell them, the floral scent making his nose itch. The sky was still white, but had small pinpricks of green – almost like stars, and seemed to have more substance. Almost like the garden was surrounded by fluffy clouds rather than nothing at all. As he looked around, the green pinpricks became more noticable and solid. They were moving, growing. They looked like the tendrils of the lifestream.

And he was alone.

Never had he been here alone. Aerith had greeted him. Given him the strength to continue when he had been about to give up. Zack had been there, reminding him of his reasons to fight. Even when he'd been sent back, Aerith and the children had been the hands that steadied him.

But now he was alone. Standing in a field of flowers, surrounded by nothing.

He took another breath, holding it in for a moment before letting it out slowly. The flowers smelled the same as they had in the church and the air was crisp, floating on a light breeze.

"Hello?" He spoke quietly, knowing that in this place, the words didn't need to be loud to be heard. That somebody had brought him here and that they would hear him.

" _Save him._ " The reply came from everywhere and nowhere. It seemed to resonate around him, thousands of voices speaking in tandem. " _Save him_." It repeated, emotions difficult to decern.

He was about to ask for clarification when the headache came back, drilling into him with a renewed force of presence. It seemed to push him to his knees with its intensity and he curled in on himself, a natural – if futile – reaction to protect himself from further attack.

When the pain lifted, he was once again not where he expected to be. Instead of the homely wooden floor of the bar, or the soft earth and flora, his eyes opened to see... cold concrete?- Another steadying breath. And another. Then he lifted his head, wanting to find out where he was, only to wake up in his own worst nightmare.

– – – –

The lab was cool, bordering on cold. The lights dim and the walls concrete. There was nothing homely about this place, nothing kind or gentle. He was huddled behind what appeared to be crates of supplies, out of sight of the two people he could vaguely hear. He could feel a wall behind him, and to his left was a table with various pieces of equipment and paperwork littered upon its surface. Over the crates, he could see similar tables scattered around the mostly open area and almost every wall was covered by some sort of bookshelf or cabinet. It was all too familiar. For four years he'd spent hours vacantly staring at a similar lab.

No. Not a similar lab. His eyes caught sight of two Mako capsuals across the room. Standing slightly, he could make out the doors a little ahead and to the left of him. This was the Nibelheim mansion. The labs beneath his home town.

Panic grew within him and he knelt back down. Reaching a hand forward he braced himself on the crates and took three steadying breaths, slowing each one down until he was breathing deeply again. His heart pounded in his chest and he reminded himself that Hojo was gone. These labs were abandoned. He was safe. He repeated this mantra to himself in an effort to forstall a full on anxiety attack. Something that had worked for him often in the past, and worked for him again now.

And then he heard the voices again. Two of them seemingly in the next room. The library? He strained his ears to hear past the blood gushing in his ears to make out what they were saying.

"He's _two weeks old_! He needs to be held!" A female voice, loud and angry, shaking. "Isolating him from human contact will only cause him psychological problems later in life. Infants need to be held - to bond with a caregiver!"

"His psyche is of no importance." Came the reply. A familiar voice in a familiar bored tone. Cloud frowned, inching forward as he listened, trying to place the voice. "We're only interested in his physical development at this stage. His mental abilities will have to be measured when he's a little more... interactive."

Another wave of panic. He knew that voice. But it was impossible. He was dead! Cloud felt his heart beating erratically in his chest, pounding his blood into his ears. His vision began to black and he realized he was hyperventilating. Surely they could hear him, gasping for breath at an increasing rate. It took a colossal effort to calm himself down this time, a lot more than five deep breaths. It took a while and by the time he felt the weight lift from his chest, he was shaking and dizzy but he could deal with that.

"Professor..." Cloud almost missed the female's response while distracted. Again, he told himself to calm down – Listen - Gather information. To figure out just what the flying fuck in Gaia's name was going on. He needed as much information as he could get to keep himself safe so he forced himself to pay attention to the voices in the next room.

"No. You are not to touch him any more than absolutely necessary. Feed him. Clean him. Change him. No more. Your interactions will taint any results. Do you understand me?" As always, Hojo's voice was like posion. Oily, repugnant, bitter... Every word coating his body and making him shiver.

"I understand." Her reply was barely more than a heartbroken whisper, tugging at his own heart. This woman obviously cared deeply for the child.

"Good. Leave. You're finished for the day. Calm yourself down and come back tomorrow as a scientist. Or not at all."

There was nothing else said and Cloud ducked to avoid being seen as the female scientist walked passed him and out the door. After a brief pause, Cloud inched himself out of his hiding spot. As quietly as he could, he stepped towards the library, hand reaching up and back. He was comforted to find First Tsurugi strapped to his back. His hand gripped the hilt as his steps moved onward, making barely any sound on the concrete floor.

As he rounded the corner into the library proper, he caught his first look at the scientist from his nightmares. Hojo stood with his back to him, bent over a desk seemingly engrossed in whatever he was doing. He didn't notice Cloud's arrival until the blade had been plunged through his back and into the table in front of him.

There was barely a gasp from the head scientist as he slumped forward, blood pooling beneath him. Cloud extracted his blade and stared down at him. If only things had been that easy the first time.

Though he was rather sure that the dead man in front of him was Professor Hojo, Cloud had to be sure. He reached out and turned the body over, watching numbly as it collapsed on the ground. The bespectacled face that stared blankly up at him could be mistaken for no other. How he had survived, Cloud had no idea, but it was a question for another time.

He stood there for a while, staring down at the man that had inflicted so much pain and marvelled at how _small_ he'd actually been. The man that had forced such torment on Cloud was a tiny twig of a man, more pudgy than muscly and perpetually hunched over. Why had nobody killed him back in the days of Shinra? It would have been so simple...

Cloud was yanked from his thoughts by a peircing wail. A scream that could only come from a small infant filled the library unexpectedly, causing Cloud to jump. Shaking his head, he wiped First Tsurugi on the professor's side and replaced it on his back before going in search of the sound.

In a small room, nestled in between two large bookshelves, Cloud found him. Laying in what looked to be an incubator of some sort was a small infant, arms flailing as his cries filled the room. This must be the child that the scientist had been talking about. The Experiment. Stepping closer, Cloud reached out to touch the child. The moment his hand connected the cries slowed to a whimper and bright green eyes opened to stare at him.

Cloud recoiled, his hand flinching back as if it had been burned. Those eyes were familiar. Too familiar. With a shaking hand, Cloud pulled back the tiny hat the boy was wearing and found silver hair, confirming his suspicions. This child was Sephiroth.

But that didn't make sense. How had he got here? Was this another clone? But then, Hojo had been alive. Had the planet thrown him back in time? Was that even possible. What was going on!?

" _Save him._ " The ghost of a whisper flickered in his thoughts. The planet wanted him to save Sephiorth? But how? Why?

A whimper and then a soft cry caught Cloud's attention. Those green, cat like eyes were still staring at him, and they were beginning to fill with new tears. Maybe it was from sympathy, maybe it was simply an instinctual reaction, but Cloud found himself suddenly holding the infant to his chest. He was a warm, solid weight. Real. Briefly he remembered how heartbroken the female scientist had been and found himself holding the boy tighter, earning a soft coo from the infant. Even the great Sephiroth deserved to be held as a child.

 _'What the hell is going on?'_ Cloud questioned to himself, looking down at the pale blue hat under his chin and the infant underneith. Was this really Sephiroth? This fragile creature in need of nothing more than a personal connection. Had Sephiroth ever really been this vunerable?

A rush of pain hit him again, sending him to his knees, his body wrapped protectively around the child. The sudden, intense, _familiar_ , pain gripped him again and the world shifted.

" _Save him."_


	2. Name Him

To the Morrow, for the Past

Chapter 2 – Name Him –

Cloud wasn't quite sure where he expected to end up next but as the pain in his head receded, he opened his eyes to find a familiar wooden floor beneath him. He was hunched over far enough that the planks were not that far from his nose. A small weight in his arms told him that he was still clinging to the small child he had found, and sure enough, when he looked down he could see the small knitted hat.

"Cloud?" A tentatively cautious voice spoke quietly, seeping its way through his still ringing ears. The familiar sound comforted him somewhat. It sounded like home. Still, her tone was worried, more worried than she should have been just for a headache. Obviously she'd seen the similarities too...

Lifting his head, he locked eyes with his childhood friend, glad to see that she really was there, and wasn't just another illusion. "Tifa." Casting his gaze around, he was relieved to find he was back in the bar. A chair beside him was overturned, and his drink had spilled, still dripping onto the floor. Obviously he hadn't been gone for very long. That was good.

"Are you okay?" She knelt in front of him, her hand on his bare shoulder. "You looked- Is it back?" It was a valid question. Over the past three years, headaches like this had been a symptom of something more significant than physical illness. He tried not to think about the helpless loss of control that usually came with them.

But was it truly a different thing? _Could_ she be back? He'd thought her defeated before only to find that they had missed a part of her. Even just a small piece of her was enough. But... It had been different. The voice in his head hadn't been the sickly sweet utterings. It had been more... _more._ More than one voice. It had felt like it was every voice, all at once. A choir echoing through the nothingness.

Realising that she was still waiting for an answer, Cloud shook his head. "I don't think so... It was... different."

There was a small sound from the child in his arms, and Cloud belatedly realised that he was still crouched over him in a somewhat protective manner, his arms around the baby and his body hunched over him. But what was he protecting him _from?_ He was in a safe place now. They were in a safe place now. Swallowing, he straightened up, careful not to jostle his charge too much. He adjusted his grip so the baby was no longer pressed so close to him, mindful of the sharp accessories on his outfit.

"I think... I think it was the planet." He mused out loud. "I- It told me to 'Save him'." He looked down in a way that drew Tifa's gaze to the small infant. Her eyes widened and she reached a hand forward as if to touch him. "I think it's Sephiroth." That caused her to freeze, her dark eyes lifting to stare at Cloud in bewilderment.

Tifa was quiet for a moment, staring in turn at him then the child, and then back at Cloud again. "Cloud..." Cloud knew that tone. He'd heard it a few times before. She was afraid for his sanity. After all, how could this baby be the man that had so thoroughly tormented almost everybody in the planet, least of all him? Sephiroth would have been over 30 years old had he still lived. Not a baby.

"I was in Hojo's lab in Nibelheim." He said quietly, deciding to just tell Tifa everything. At least that way she could decide if he really was crazy or not. She would probably know better than he would. She always did. "The headache went away and I heard-" Was it in his head? It had seemed to be all around him yet nowhere at once. "I was told to 'Save him'. I killed Hojo and found..." He looked again at the child in his arms with a shrug.

Tifa once again placed her hand on his arm and gently guided him to a table. He was vaguely aware of Tifa crossing the room and locking the door, turning the sign from open to closed. At least now they wouldn't have random people walking in.

Adjusting his hold again, he reached up and removed the small hat. Tiny strands of silver hair spilled from under the hat and Cloud again looked up at Tifa as she returned to the table and sat beside him.

She was staring at the baby and was quiet for a moment, leaning on the table to get a closer look. She reached out and let a gentle finger brush the baby's head. "That's... an odd story Cloud but-" She shook her head and took a breath. Taking her eyes from the baby she looked up at Cloud and gave him a small, reassuring smile. "But I suppose we've been through weirder." She sounded unconvinced, but was willing to go with it. Cloud liked that about her. She had a lot of faith in her friends and was willing to hold off on her doubts. It wasn't always a good thing, but at least she tried.

Cloud was trying to figure out something else to say, to hopefully understand what was going on, when the baby let out a pitiful whimper.

"Uh-oh." Tifa's tone was amused, as if she knew what was coming next. A loud wail pierced the quiet of the closed bar and Cloud flinched. Tifa smirked at Cloud's bewildered look before standing up and gently taking the baby from. "Shhh." She rocked him lightly from side to side, swaying her hips as she did so. "Well. Whoever he is, he's going to need supplies." She said over the screaming, now bouncing up and down on the spot. It was somewhat similar to the stance she took when getting ready for battle, her knees bent, legs shoulder length apart for balance. It was a strange sight.

"Uh.." Cloud seriously had no idea what a baby needed. "I uh-" He reached in to his pocket and offered Tifa his wallet. "I don't know..." What _did_ a baby need? Obviously he needed food, and something to sleep in. A change of clothes and a few nappies. That was about all Cloud could think of, but he was sure he was missing a lot of things. When Denzel had come home with him, he'd been surprised at just how _much_ an eight year old needed.

"You have no idea about babies do you?" She asked, laughing at his clueless expression. She shook her head, "You're going to have to learn. If you're going to keep bringing children home, you really should figure out how to take care of them." The barb was light hearted, but Cloud had to concede that she had a point. Denzel at least, had been old enough to know how to feed himself and use the bathroom.

The bathroom. Oh. That was what the crying was about. Wrinkling his nose, Cloud looked at the child, surprised that something so small could smell so bad. "I think he-" He gestured to the child's backside and Tifa nodded, her smile becoming even more amused.

"Yeah. They do that. Go out back and find one of my new cloths." She told him. "Make sure it's one of the new ones- still wrapped. We don't want him getting sick from unclean wrappings." She continued to rock the baby and Cloud practically fled from the room to do as she asked. Anything to get away from the noise.

Even from the storeroom, he could hear the cries from the baby, and wondered why people would voluntarily be around such a disruptive noise. He'd faced down a large number of monsters that used screaming as a battle tactic. None of them had been this _loud_. Then again, not everyone had super enhanced hearing.

It didn't take him long enough to find the cloths that Tifa had asked for. He slowly gathered a few of them and took them back to the main area of the bar, not looking forward to being in close proximity to the under grown banshee he had apparently brought home.

"Over here." Tifa called from the bathroom. Cloud moved over and handed the cloths to her. "Thank you. Now. Watch. Learn." She ordered before stripping the baby and cleaning him up. She changed him and threw out the soiled nappy.

Trying not to breathe, Cloud watched in dismay and vague disgust. He could disembowel and skin animals and monsters with no problem, but when faced with the soiled nappy of an infant, he felt nauseous. And how could something so small produce so _much_? And was it supposed to be that colour? Tifa didn't seem worried, and she apparently knew more about this sort of thing than Cloud. Then again, there probably weren't a lot of people who knew _less_ about this than him.

"Here." Tifa lifted the now redressed infant and handed him to Cloud. "All clean."

At least the baby had gone quiet. Blue met green as the baby stared up at Cloud, who couldn't seem to look away until he was startled by a laugh. His head snapped up to regard Tifa, who was almost doubled over with her giggles.

"You look so lost!" She managed between laughs. "Come on Cloud! You've saved the world twice now! Don't tell me you're going to be defeated by an infant." For some reason, she found this hilarious. It took her a few minutes to calm down, but when she did she shook her head and pushed Cloud out of the bathroom, shoulders still shaking with amusement. "That's just adorable!" She started to laugh again and he was trying his hardest not to show the embarrassment he was feeling. Of course he was lost. This was all brand new to him. The youngest child he'd ever interacted with had been Marlene, and she'd been four at the time.

"Come on." She said, "We should go shopping before the kids come home from school. I'm sure Denzel will be excited to meet his new brother!"

"Brother?" He shifted the baby in his arms again and realized his hand was absently rubbing the small boy's back. It was nice when he was quiet and Cloud wanted him to stay that way for as long as possible.

"Well." Tifa replied, still leading Cloud towards the bar's exit. "Are you really going to give him to someone else to raise?"

He hadn't really thought that far ahead. But that seemed like a good idea to him. "Why not?" He asked. He was only told to save him after all. Not raise him. And he had didn't know the first thing about babies. It wasn't like people had been lining up to ask him to babysit.

"Why not." They were out of the bar now and Tifa linked her arm with Cloud's, shaking her head and grinning. "He's enhanced." Anybody could tell that. Even if he wasn't a baby version of Sephiroth, the enhancements would be obvious. The thin glowing tendrils moving in his eyes spoke of his genetics and made his eye take on a very familiar glow.

"Yeah..." But he didn't see how that would prevent the boy from being raised by someone more qualified. And who _wouldn't_ want a kid that was stronger, faster, smarter and all around better than the average child? Didn't parents want their kids to be the best? Wasn't that what it was all about?

"Who do you know that could keep up with a genetically enhanced SOLDIER toddler?"

Oh. Well. That made sense. Sephiroth had been known for his extreme speed, agility and strength, even more enhanced than even the best SOLDIERs. "...Vincent?" Cloud tried to imagine the ex-Turk chasing after a toddler. It would be fitting, he supposed, for Vincent to raise Sephiroth this time. He was still Lucrecia's son, after all.

One look at Tifa told him that giving the baby to Vincent probably wouldn't work. "Right." She said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Give the genetically modified, prone to insanity, child of the Calamity to a man who's body hosts a literal demon."

"Vincent can control Chaos." Even as he said that, Cloud knew that it wasn't entirely true.

"Not when he's seriously stressed. And babies cause stress. Lots of stress. And worry. And anxiety. Besides, Vincent is a nomad. He barely spends a week in one place, let alone long enough to raise a kid. It's not good for a kid to be always moving around, and I'm pretty sure Vincent would go insane if made to stay still for too long." Again, she had a point.

They were quiet for a short while, Cloud still trying to comprehend the fact that he now had an infant to take care of, and Tifa was mulling over the implications that this child could actually be Sephiroth. It didn't take them long to reach the market, and Cloud allowed Tifa to lead the way. She never once let go of his arm, almost as if she was afraid he would get lost. Or leave. He followed her in a daze, mind still spinning.

Around him, the markets were brightly coloured. Hundreds of smells mingled together, from the sweet smell of something cooking, to the body odour and general smell of humanity. There was even a hint of something floral in the air. Probably somebody's perfume. Edge was still growing, still being built, but this was one of the first places to pop up. Even after an apocalypse, people still needed to buy supplies. The shops ranged from clean, tall buildings to dusty carts, and you could buy almost anything here. It wasn't as seedy as Wall Market had been, but it was still just as crowded.

They entered a small shop that Cloud hadn't even known had existed. Tucked into one of the least dusty corners, it was relatively small and clean. It seemed to cater to children of all ages, but the largest section by far was for babies. "That's... a lot of stuff." He remarked, looking blankly at the products lined on shelves. So it wasn't enough to get him food, clothes and nappies then. Most of these things, Cloud couldn't even identify.

"Babies need a lot of stuff." Tifa finally let go of him to wander through the store. Cloud didn't move, still looking around in complete bewilderment. The clothes were all so _bright_. Looking down at the baby he still carried in his arms, Cloud wondered if he should indulge in his usual fashion tendencies and dress Sephiroth in all black. Black was easier to clean, right? And it didn't show up any blood -this was probably why he preferred it, and why the Firsts would wear black. -But then, Sephiroth was two weeks old. He shouldn't be bleeding or causing anything to bleed. Maybe something in blue then? Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of colour code for children? One for males and one for females?

It must have been obvious how lost he felt, because it didn't take long for a staff member to find him. She smiled sweetly at the baby and made a small sound. "Oh, he's adorable." She said, making strange faces at the infant. "What's his name?"

"Uh." That was unexpected. Really, it shouldn't have been, but Cloud hadn't thought of an answer to that question yet. It was strange enough that the man who defeated Sephiorth and saved the world on multiple occasions would decide to adopt a child that bore a remarkable resemblance to the insane megalomaniac, but to give him his name too? That would raise more questions than Cloud wanted to answer. He didn't think it would be a good idea to inform the general public just how he had managed to get his hands on a baby Sephiroth. He didn't need the whole world thinking he was insane. One insane super human was plenty enough for the world.

"Oh that's okay hunny." The shop assistant said in a reassuring voice. "Sometimes it takes a while to find the perfect name." She was still making foolish faces at the baby who regarded her silently, "I'm guessing this is your first?" She asked, finally looking up at Cloud, who hesitated before nodding. First infant anyway. "Well how about I help you find all you need. What do you already have at home?"

"Nothing." Cloud told her, somewhat thankful that a professional (Her name tag said Helen) was going to assist him. As much as confidence as he had in Tifa, he knew that they would probably miss something or buy something that wasn't needed. Or concentrate on only the 'super cute' things that would be impractical or unneeded. "It was kind of...sudden."

The shop assistant's smile became sad and understanding. Since Meteorfall and Geostigma, it was quite common for people to suddenly become responsible for children in the family. Often times, they were the only family left, and there was rarely any time for people to prepare. It was a sad state of affairs, but nothing much could be done about it now. "Okay. Don't you worry, we'll get you all sorted."

It took a little over an hour, and a small fortune, but finally, Cloud had a mountain of products loaded into a small van. There were practical things that he hadn't even thought of (a sling to wear the baby against his chest, a buggy for pushing him around,) and some things that seemed frivolous but 'cute'. And did a baby really need fifteen outfits? Cloud didn't even own that many clothes. Helen had been more than helpful, but he was sure there were some superfluous items in there. He'd probably been overcharged for some things too. Fortunately, he had amassed a lot of money on his previous journeys and barely ever spent anything since.

As he was helping load the truck that would deliver the items, Tifa reappeared at his side, holding a few bags of her own. She smiled at him and reached out and Cloud gladly gave the child over. He didn't think he would ever be entirely comfortable holding a baby.

"I bought you a few books." She told him, absently rocking the sleeping infant. "I know a little bit about babies, but I haven't looked after one in years. There's going to be a bit of a learning curve for both of us." They climbed into the truck and left the dusty streets behind.

The children had arrived home before they had, and Cloud found himself suddenly nervous. He knew that they would meet the baby sooner rather than later, but he wasn't quite sure what to tell them. Did he tell them that the baby was Sephiroth? Or did he just say he'd found him and decided to take care of him? How would he explain the sudden appearance of an infant and all the items apparently required to take care of one? And of course, children had an odd habit of asking strange, and sometimes difficult questions. (He could still remember his stuttered explanation of the human reproductive system when Denzel had randomly asked him how babies were made).

"Cloud!" A joyful cry came from the entrance to the bar, and Cloud looked up to see Marlene rushing towards him. "Are you going to stay for a while?" It was her usual greeting, and Cloud couldn't help but feel a little guilty for that. When Geostigma had hit, he had spent all his time researching for a cure, wanting desperately to help Denzel. Then he'd become sick himself, and hid away, not wanting his friends to worry about him. Unfortunately that had had the opposite effect – something he hadn't realised until after he came back.

But now he intended on staying for a long while."Yeah." He nodded, placing a hand on her head when she happily threw her arms around him, all but vibrating with joy.

Behind him, he could hear Tifa climbing out of the cab of the van. "Marlene." She said, "Can you prop the doors open? We bought some new stuff."

An enthusiastic nod, then the young girl was rushing back inside, always happy to be helpful. Cloud could hear her enlisting Denzel's help and smiled softly to himself. Maybe things would be okay. He'd never met two more accepting people in his life. Even his adult friends were a lot more cautious about people. Denzel was still shy around strangers, but Marlene was quick to befriend everyone. If it weren't for the fact that her caretakers were well known to be strong warriors, he would be more worried about her safety.

"Hey Tifa." Denzel greeted her as he came out to help. "Why do you have a baby?" The way he asked that, sounded like Tifa coming home with a baby wasn't all that strange. A hint of curiosity but none of the shock and confusion that Cloud had somewhat expected. It almost seemed like an every day experience, and while it wasn't unheard of for Tifa to help the local orphans when she could, she'd never actually brought one home before.

"Oh," Tifa said with a smile, "He belongs to Cloud." Her tone was happy and matter of fact. The baby was Clouds.

Now it was time for the shock and confusion to flicker across Denzel's face before he settled back to curious. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend." He said. "I thought you liked boys?"

"What?" Cloud stared at the nine year old boy, barely noticing when Tifa pushed the baby back into his arms. He held on to him automatically, shifting him into a more comfortable position. "I- I found him." That wasn't exactly a lie. "I was... asked to look after him." A somewhat stretched truth, but technically a truth. He decided not to comment on the boy's second statement. That was a longer conversation for another time.

"Oh." Denzel gave a smile and a determined nod. "Then I'll help." Cloud had no doubt that he meant it. "Marlene!" Denzel grinned at Cloud and turned his head to shout back at the bar, "Cloud has a baby!"

The loud shout caused said baby to stir. He cooed a little and gave a small sniffle. Was he going to cry again? Cloud grimaced as he clumsily attempted to rock him like Tifa had. It didn't work. Either Cloud wasn't very good at it, or the baby just didn't care, he cried anyway. Parting his legs, Cloud sunk into his own battle stance, attempting a new way of rocking him. It didn't help and he could see Tifa holding back giggles from the corner of his eye as she started to unload the truck.

Marlene was once again, suddenly at his side, staring up at him in wide eyed wonder. "You have a baby!" She bounced with glee, grinning up at him. "You have a baby!" She seemed awfully excited, and Cloud was starting to feel overwhelmed.

"Do you want to hold him?" Was it a bad idea to hand a screaming baby over to an over enthusiastic six year old? Cloud didn't know, but when Marlene excitedly reached her arms up, he plonked the child in her arms, somewhat glad to be rid of him. "Careful." He warned her before turning to help Tifa with their new purchases, glad the truck driver seemed to be patient enough to put up with them.

Sephiroth was genetically enhanced. He healed bullet wounds in a day. Surely he would survive being handled by an over excited child? Still, Cloud kept a close eye on Marlene as she started to rock the baby while she skipped inside. Why was he feeling anxious about her taking the baby away? He'd had the baby for all of two hours, he couldn't already be attached to him, could he? Shaking his head, Cloud gathered the last of the supplies and followed the bundle of energy inside.

"Someone's hungry." Tifa came into the bar proper from the kitchen, already holding a prepared bottle. "Be careful Marlene." She said gently, moving over to the girl "Sit down and don't drop him."

"I'm not going to drop him, Tifa." Never the less, Marlene did as she was instructed, carefully climbing up onto a chair with the baby. "Can I feed him?" She asked.

Tifa shook her head. "Maybe next time." She said gently. "But I think this time it should be Cloud. He needs to learn how." Without waiting for a reply from either of them, Tifa took the baby and once again, pressed him into Cloud's arms. She showed him how to give the baby a bottle and it seemed simple enough. Don't over tip the bottle, but make sure there was milk going in. Don't hold it too close to the baby, but not too far. It didn't take him long to get the hang of it. Without taking his eyes off the feeding infant, he found a chair and sat down. That was a lot more comfortable on his arms, and he found himself relaxing slightly.

"What's his name?" There was that question again. This time asked by Denzel who was watching intently.

"He... doesn't have one." Really. He needed to figure out a real answer to that question. Should he rename the child? Was that the right thing to do? Sephiroth wasn't exactly a common name, and he would never be free of comparisons to the other version of himself if he went through life being called that. Especially with the resemblance.

"That's silly." Marlene pursed her lips, hands on her hips and gave Cloud a tiny glare. "Everybody needs a name. He can't live life without one."

"Marlene is right." Tifa said, nodding at the child. "You should give him a name."

"Me?"

"Who else? You're going to be taking care of him. You need to be able to call him something." When Cloud didn't respond quickly, Tifa sighed and sat down, looking across the table at him. "If he was yours," She started, making vague gestures at him, "If you had a girlfriend and you had a baby boy, what would you call him?"

"Zack." The name was out of his mouth before he could even question it. But once he'd said it, he knew that it was true. He couldn't think of a more perfect name for his child. But this child wasn't his. Technically, this child was born a decade or so years before he was. Not to mention the fact that it was _Sephiroth_. Could he really give Sephiroth Zack's name?

"Zack then." Tifa said with a definitive nod.

"I- I can't. Ti- It's-" At his protest, a look of understanding crossed Tifa's face. She smiled at him, hand once again on his shoulder.

"It's perfect, Cloud." She said quietly, "If you're going to look after him, take care of him and raise him, you need to learn how to love him." He could see where she was coming from. If he kept thinking of the child as Sephiroth, then he would probably never fully get past the things that the man had done. But this baby... This baby hadn't done any of that. He hadn't had the chance to. And he never would. Cloud was determined to make sure of that.

But still, he hesitated. Looking down, he saw that the baby had finished his bottle and put it aside. Green eyes peered up at him. They were the same eyes, but somehow not. They were the same colour and shape, but had none of the hatred burning within them. They were... innocent. _He_ was innocent.

"I like it!" Marlene declared. "Zack Strife!" That caught Cloud's attention. Of course, the baby would need both a first and last name, but it hadn't even occurred to Cloud that people would expect him to use _his_ last name.

Looking around the room, he noticed Tifa and Denzel also nodding.

Zack.

Maybe he could get used to it? Maybe one day it would fit. Cloud looked back down at his charge and wondered. Maybe one day, he would be able to live up to it. "Zack." He said finally, testing the name on his lips. "Zack Strife."


	3. Love Him

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 3 - - Love Him - -

It took all of three days for Tifa to get the word out to the rest of their group and only two more days before they all arrived. Apparently Cid had decided that they _all_ needed to come and greet their 'Newest family member' and had rounded up their former companions.

So he only had five days to become accustomed to taking care of a very young individual. Cloud was a hell of a quick learner, but even he needed more time than that. It had quickly become apparent that the baby-Zack hated to be left alone. Within seconds of being put down, the screaming would begin, only quieting when somebody picked him up. Getting him to sleep was difficult. Putting him down to sleep was even more so. Because of this, nobody in the building had slept much.

Except for Denzel, who could apparently sleep through the end of the world. (Okay, he _hadn't_ slept through _that_ , but Cloud wouldn't have put it past him).

It wasn't all that unexpected that when AVALANCHE arrived that Cloud stumbled out of his room, dumped the baby into Tifa's waiting arms and stormed over to the coffee machine. He didn't even wait for the coffee to cool before throwing it down his throat. Quickly followed by another cup. He didn't even seem to notice his friend for another two cups. When he finally put his mug down, he let out a tired sigh and retrieved his child from the ever patient and amused Tifa.

Now that he'd finished his coffee, and could feel the tingle of the Mako repairing his burned throat, Cloud felt a lot more human. Over the last few days, caffine had been his only true friend. It was there for him when he needed it, never complained and most importantly, never laughed at him. Shooting a dark look at Tifa, he adjusted his grip on the baby, allowing him a free hand to pour yet another cup of coffee.

Only then, did he turn around, seemingly taken aback by the presence of their friends. "Hi." He muttered, stifling a yawn and finding a table to sit down at. They were all here. It hadn't been long since they had last met up, just a few months, but Cloud found that he'd missed them. He wasn't the most social person in the world, but his friends didn't care. Sure, they might bully him into social situations, and literally smack him on the back of the head when they thought he was being obtuse, but wasn't that what friends were supposed to do? Cloud hadn't really had many friends growing up, or even after he joined the military. Sometimes he still wasn't sure how to act around them.

They were all looking at him. That made him a little uncomfortable. The only times in the past that they'd given him such direct attention had been when he was shouting orders at the end of the world. Now, there was no crisis, no battle to be fought. Just... a baby.

"You look like shit." Barret remarked, smirking at him from behind his own cup of joe.

"Language." Tifa scolded quickly, pulling up a chair beside him.

"You have a baby!" Once again, Yuffie had a knack for stating the obvious. "Oooooh! I'm going to teach him so much stuff! He'll be a mighty warrior, just like me!" She was bouncing. Cloud felt even more tired just watching her. Another cup down. Was it possible for someone enhanced by mako to overdose on coffee? Cloud was well on his way to finding out. Yuffie wasn't helping matters.

"So what the hell made you want to keep a kid?" Cid asked around a cigarette. Cloud glared at him and reached over the table, removing the offending item from his friend and putting it out on the bottom of his shoe.

"Bar's now smoke free." He muttered. "Its bad for kids." He adjusted his grip on the baby, still not entirely sure how he was supposed to hold him. No matter what he did, it was still an alien weight. Tifa had told him that he had to support the neck, and that babies shouldn't be held upside down. Most of what she said had made sense, but it had also made him self concious and he was constantly checking to make sure he was doing it right.

He looked at his gathered friends. All of them had an expectant look on their faces, waiting for him to speak – to explain how he ended up looking after an infant. Now he had to decide. Over the last few days, his mind had been spinning, wondering what he would tell the others. Should he go with the story about finding a child? Or tell them the truth? They would probably figure it out eventually anyway, and his friends finding things out from other sources had never worked well in the past. They always found out. Then they made him feel guilty for hiding things, or they got mad, or worse yet -disapointed. He hated disappointing his friends.

He sighed and closed his eyes, wishing for just a few more hours of sleep before he had to do this. Another mug of coffee was placed in front of him and he looked over his shoulder to nod his thanks to Tifa.

"I think... the planet asked me to take him." He muttered. He still wasn't sure on that, but it definitely hadn't been Jenova. Who else would speak into his mind? Who else would be able to take him to Aerith's garden? "I woke up in Hojo's lab. There was a voice..." He shook his head, knowing what his friends were probably thinking. "It wasn't Jenova." He assured them. "It wasn't Sephiroth. It was... It sounded like it was a thousand people, all speaking with one voice." He didn't know how to explain it any better. "It told me to save him." He shrugged. "The only other 'him' there was Hojo. I don't give a shit who asks, there's no way I would ever save that-"

Tifa nudged him with her elbow, "Language." She admonished slowly.

Nodding, Cloud sighed and continued with his story. "I killed Hojo and found the baby." He gently placed the baby on the table in front of him and removed the small knitted cap. (Apparently babies needed warm heads? He wasn't really paying attention when Tifa explained it to him). "Pretty sure you know who he is."

There was silence as his friends took in what he'd been saying. They stared at him in varying levels of disbelief and shock.

"You... adopted... Sephiroth?" Yuffie stuttered, seemingly the most bewildered. "I take it back." She added quickly, "I'm not going to teach him how to be a warrior. I'm never going to let him near a weapon!" She was on her feet in seconds, glaring at the baby as if he had personally offended her. Well. In one life he had, Cloud supposed.

"Are you certain that this is a good idea?" The rarely heard voice of Nanaki spoke up, his tone suggesting that Cloud should think hard and long about this. If there was anyone in the room that Cloud could count on to give the baby a chance, it was Nanaki. The wolf-cat was wise beyond his years. He was probably the only one that would believe that the planet talked to him.

"I have no idea. But who else?" He looked up at the figure looming in the shadowed corner of the bar. "The only person I could think of that could keep up with an enhanced kid is you." Vincent tilted his head to one side, seemingly thinking about it. Then again, it was always difficult to tell what was on Vincent's mind.

"I'm not sure being around Chaos would be a nurturing environment." Came the calm reply. A worry was hidden in the deep baritone, betraying his calm exterior.

"That's what Tifa said." Closing his eyes, Cloud tipped his head back and sighed. He pulled the baby back into his arms, having heard the tell tale whimpering that warned of a tantrum. At least he could adjust how he was holding him without having to look now. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked at his friends. They were still looking at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"But..." Yuffie was still staring at Cloud. "But... It's Sephiroth..."

"Zack." The word was firm, leaving no room for argument. While he'd been hesitant at first, Cloud had agreed with Tifa that the name fit, and that the baby would be better off without the constant reminder of who he could have been.

Again there was silence. Again everybody was staring at him like he was insane. Maybe he was. Maybe this was all a product of yet another mental break, the hallucinations of mako addiction.

"Tifa said I should treat him like he was mine." He explained, "Because there would be no point in taking him from a home he was hated in, just to bring him to another." After the children had gone to bed that first night, they had discussed that in length. "If he's going to grow up to be any different, he needs to be _treated_ differently. He needs to be cared for."

"But it's-"

"No." Cloud cut off Yuffie, flashing a glare at her. "No. He may be genetically identical, may have the same parents, the same beginning. But this isn't the Sephiroth we know. He hasn't _done_ anything. Look at him." He demanded, levelling his eyes at everyone in the room, glaring at them as if to challenge them to disobey. "Is this the man who burned down my town? Who summoned a meteor. Do you think, that the individual I'm holding is even _physically capable_ of doing those things? Are you really going to blame him for things that _another_ man did? Are you going to treat him like the monster he once thought himself, just because he was made in a different way?"

There was a pause. Everyone was listening to him, absorbing his words, somewhat shocked at his outburst. For Cloud, that was pretty unusual. Normally he would just sit quietly and wait until people were ready to listen.

"You're right." Reeve spoke up from his corner, looking at the baby. He had been leaning against a wall, but now he stepped forward to join the others at the table. He sat down, eyes never leaving the child. "He is the only innocent being here."

He was right. They had all done things, terrible things, in their past. Cloud looked around the room, eyes settling on each of his friends one at a time. Yuffie seemed to be the one struggling with her feelings. He could see that a part of her understood and agreed with what he was saying, while the other part of her couldn't get over the fact that the Demon of Wutai was gurgling in her friends arms.

Cid's fingers were twitching, as if he was craving another cigarette but holding himself back. He had a thoughtful look on his face, and like Yuffie was staring at the baby.

Behind him, Vincent's expression was just as unreadable as it usually was. He seemed to be the only one in the room looking at Zack and not seeing Sephiroth.

At Cloud's knees Nanaki moved, putting his front paws on the table and lifting his body up to have a closer look at baby Zack. He moved his snout close to the infant and sniffed, "He doesn't smell like Sephiroth." He said quietly, "He smells new." Cloud smiled as the tension in the room began to dissipate.

"Well, babies do have a special smell." Barret said quietly. "Cloud... Promise me that him being here doesn't put Marlene in danger." When Cloud nodded, Barret continued, "Then... it's up to you, I guess. It's your kid."

Yeah. He still wasn't used to that idea. It didn't sit very well on him and he felt vaguely uncomfortable. The weight of his friends stares didn't help much either. "Vincent." He said, standing. "He's still Lucrecia's son." He had no idea where he was going with this. Was he going to ask Vincent to babysit? To try to convince him to take him? "Do.. Do you want to hold him?" After a moment Vincent nodded, stepping forth and taking hold of the child.

Vincent didn't look in the least bit uncomfortable. He looked like this was the most natural thing in the world for him to be doing, and Cloud had to fight back a small pang of jealousy. Really, if it weren't for the presence of a literal demon within Vincent, Cloud would be sure that giving the man the child to raise would be the best thing to do. Vincent knew Sephiroth's mother, he had loved her. Vincent would have been the obvious choice to take care of her son when she could not. Except he couldn't.

Still, harbouring a demon was a very good excuse not to babysit.

Vincent did seem quite taken with baby Zack. He was staring down intently at him, absently rocking. He held the baby carefully with his gauntleted hand, gently stroking the top of his head with the other. "He looks like his mother." He said quietly, his voice cracking a little. Maybe in another time, another life, this would have been. Cloud had no doubt that Vincent would do anything for Lucrecia, even raising her son.

Cloud surveyed the people in front of him. They were all once again staring at either the baby, or the man holding the baby, so he took this opportunity to slowly stand and sneak away from the table. Hopefully it would take them long enough to realise he was gone that he could get in a quick cat nap.

– – – – – –

Even after two weeks, Cloud was still astounded by just how _hard_ taking care of an infant was. Zack didn't do much of anything, and yet there was so much work to be done. Apparently, after feeding, he needed to be burped. He needed to be held in the right way so his head didn't hurt his neck. He had to wear several layers so that he wouldn't over heat or get cold. He couldn't spend too long on his back, he couldn't spend all day in his capsule. And for some reason, Tifa _insisted_ that he had _shoes._ The boy had no need of them! It wasn't like he was going to suddenly run off. But no, apparently he had to have them. Cloud had given up arguing at that point. So Zack had shoes.

Getting into routines had never been too difficult for Cloud. He'd been in the military after all. But routines with a baby _changed_. Trying to keep up was tiring, and every day he seemed to have a new need. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't stand to be left alone, or even put down for more than a few minutes.

It didn't take long for Cloud to realise that he had to change his wardrobe almost completely. Having a large sword strapped to his back, and sharp pointy accessories on his clothing was apparently a bad idea. He'd even had to change out his earring to something a little... less. Now, at nearly five weeks old, Zack was flailing his limbs, catching on anything and everything in his immediate proximity. Cloud had even had to wear a shirt without a zip as it kept getting caught in the young boy's silver hair.

Things had changed drastically over the last few weeks. While before Cloud had felt an intense need to keep moving, unable to stay in one place too long, now he couldn't fathom moving from once place to another every other day. The fact that he barely slept didn't help.

His friends had been surprisingly accepting and helpful once they had got over their initial shock. It didn't take long for them to start calling the baby Zack, and even to start to dote on him. They had truly taken him in to be a part of their extended, dysfunctional family. So it wasn't really a surprise when Cloud woke one morning to find Zack wasn't in his room. He knew that he would be with someone in the main area of the bar. Apparently lack of sleep made Cloud "grumpy" and "grouchy", so they had apparently been taking turns stealing the child away so that Could could keep sleeping, claiming that it was in self defence.

What was a little surprising was this mornings babysitter. Of all his friends, Yuffie had been the slowest to accept Zack into her life. He couldn't blame her. The Sephiroth of their time had been ruthless, had destroyed her country and culture, had killed so many people she loved even before losing his mind. But this baby _wasn't_ that man.

"Does he ever _do_ anything?" She asked him as he poured himself a coffee. He no longer needed to down it in one go, and these days he only needed three cups in the morning. Down from ten.

Cloud regarded her for a moment before shrugging. "Not really." He muttered, "Just cries, eats, shits. Repeat." He sat beside her at a table, taking note of the fact that Zack seemed happy to be laying on the table, Yuffie's hand pressed gently on his stomach. He was getting better. Now he would keep calm with a simple hand on him instead of needing to be held constantly.

He was startled out of his musing by Yuffie's sudden laughter and his gaze quickly left Zack to look at her in confusion, wondering what he'd done this time.

"Sephiroth routinely shits his pants and you have to clean it up!" She managed between snorts of mirth, her fingers dancing over the boy's stomach in an imitation of tickling. Zack gurgled, his arms flailing and catching one of hers. She moved her hand to hold his, grinning down at him.

He hadn't really thought of it like that. A chuckle left his lips and he shook his head. "He's not really Sephiroth." He reminded her. "Just... Genetically the same. He wont grow up to be that man."

"I know, I know. But it's still funny." She looked down at the baby and grinned at him, "You are far too cute to grow up to be that bad man." She cooed, speaking in that god awful baby talk. She lifted him up into her arms and rocked him slowly, "Cloud won't let you, and if he fails, there's a dozen other people who wont let you fall." She was still speaking in baby tongue, but Cloud had to hold his breath for a moment. He knew that his friends would have his back, that they would rally behind him if he needed them, but he hadn't thought- But now he did think about it, he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. For all Cid's jokes, they really were a family.

"Why are you the one looking after him?" Cloud asked when he regained his equilibrium.

She shrugged, "Vincent said I should 'bond' with him. Whatever that means." She sighed and put Zack back down on the table, making sure to keep a hand on him. She'd learned the hard way that Zack always needs physical reassurances.

"I think he wants you to see him for who he is, not who he was. Or could be. Whatever." Tenses were confusing and he frowned before shaking his head. Sipping at his coffee, he watched the youngest active member of their group.

The young ninja gave a nod. "Yeah. I guess that makes sense. But he's _really_ boring."

"Yeah." Cloud agreed with a chuckle.

"So!"

Oh no. Cloud knew that tone of voice. Yuffie had had another _idea_. She was standing on the table, hands on her hips, a mischievous glint in her eyes. He held back a sigh as he joined Cid and Nanaki at a table. Zack was in Cid's arms taking a bottle. Cid had a toothpick in his mouth and was chewing around it idly. He didn't even look up when Yuffie had spoken, too interested in watching the baby eat. Nanaki was curled up on one of the chairs, his ear twitched, but other than that he gave the impression that he was sleeping.

"What is it Yuffie?" Cloud asked in a resigned voice, he knew better than to ignore her. She threw bigger temper tantrums than Zack.

"We should throw a party! Zack is the newest member of AVALANCHE and needs to be celebrated! We can get him a cake and candy and presents and-"

"He can't eat solids yet..." Cloud tried to interrupt with his point, but Yuffie simply spoke over him.

"We can take him on a trip and show him the Shera and take him to the Golden Saucer and-" At this point, Cloud tuned her out until she finished talking, concentrating instead on his coffee.

"He's two months old." When she finally quietened enough for him to get a word in, Cloud looked at her. "He can't see more than three inches from his face and he hasn't developed the ability to form long term memories." Those baby books had been helpful. "What would the point be?"

Yuffie deflated with a sad sigh. "He's _boring_ Cloud! We need to liven him up!"

"Give him a year." Cid finally spoke up with a smirk, holding said baby against his chest to burp him. "Give him two and he'll be runnin' all around gettin' into stupid amounts of trouble. You won't be able to keep up."

"He's learning how to smile." Cloud said with a shrug. "He's got a lot to learn before he can be 'interesting'. He's not going to just-" He gestured to the baby, lifting his arms as if to indicate growing- "suddenly be doing stuff."

The Wutanian princess sighed again, sitting down heavily. "I know." She grumbled. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do with him."


	4. Learn Him

The the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 4 – Learn Him -

At three months old, Zack had come a long way. He was smiling at people, turning his head towards voices, making sounds that almost resembled words, he even giggled at times. He could sit up, hold things and seemed to have a growing understanding of the world around him.

But best of all, he now no longer needed to be constantly touched. He seemed to have learned that he wouldn't be left alone. Cloud could finally understand what made people want children. Now that he was sleeping 'through the night' (though Cloud wasn't quite sure how five hours at a time counted as through the night), everyone was sleeping better.

One by one the members of AVALANCHE had left to return to their own lives and Cloud had _finally_ found a routine that worked. Things were finally starting to settle down, and he found that he was oddly happy. Still, he did miss some of his old life. Now that he was actually getting sleep, he wasn't so run down and exhausted, and was feeling itchy to get out of the house. He didn't want to go as far away as he used to, but he wanted to go _somewhere_.

It was actually Tifa who had suggested the Church. He hadn't been in a long while and he found he missed the quiet serenity that the flowers provided. Trying to figure out how to get there was a bit of a hassle. It was too far to walk, but he was hesitant to take Zack on Fenrir, even at slow speeds. It wasn't far enough to justify calling on Cid and his airship, and Cloud was at a bit of a loss.

Until he realized that he would probably need to buy a car.

For some reason, buying a car seemed like a much bigger deal. It was just a mode of transport after all. But Cloud couldn't shake the feeling that it meant the end of something.

It wasn't possible to buy a new car in Edge. The city was still starting and the world was still recovering from the near apocalypse. Nobody had been bothered about manufacturing new vehicles, choosing instead to fix and refurbish the older ones. That didn't bother Cloud overly much. In his mind he still thought of the car as being a temporary thing. At least until Zack was old enough to hold on to him on the back of the bike.

So it didn't take Cloud long to find one that suited his needs. It was smaller than the average truck that puttered around the city, but it was serviceable. Unfortunately it was also bright red.

It had been Zack's reaction to it that caused Cloud to actually buy it. From the harness on Cloud's chest, the boy had made a delighted squeak and clapped his hands the moment Cloud got close to the car. Since it didn't matter to him, and Zack liked it, Cloud was more than happy to cut this shopping trip short.

Pulling up to the church, Cloud sat in the drivers seat and looked up at it for a moment before grabbing Zack's car seat and heading inside.

The sun was shining down on the dilapidated building, its rays finding their way down to the flowers below. It was a far cry from when Midgar had been whole, and even though the building had suffered even more damage during Meteorfall, it somehow felt _more_ complete now. A soft breeze was almost always present, and the scent of the flowers spread far and wide. It was a place of peace and nobody who came here didn't feel the quiet calm.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long." His voice was always quiet in the church. He wasn't sure if Aerith could hear him or not, but he liked to believe that she could. He used to come here often and speak with her. "Things have really changed recently." Reaching the edge of the flower garden, Cloud sat down and swiftly released Zack from his capsule, placing the squirming baby in his lap.

Zack was strangely quiet, his eyes darting around the church as if looking for a voice. Like everyone else, Zack seemed to be taken in by the tranquillity that the flower garden provided. He was relaxed and content, even if his eyes couldn't figure out what to focus on.

"I don't know if it was you who asked me to save him... or if it was the planet. But... But I did. I will." Leaning over the curious baby, Cloud absently began to weed the garden. Somebody had obviously been taking care of it in his absence, but there was always something to be done. Pulling weeds and tending to the seedlings always made him feel better. Even on his darkest days, tending to them had given him a breather from all his negative emotions. He wasn't sure if that was just a normal thing, or if it was something to do with Aerith's presence. He wasn't sure it mattered.

"He's growing so fast. I think you would have loved him. He's not- He's not the man he would have been. He'll be different this time. I promise." He wasn't sure if he was promising her, himself or the boy in his arms. Either way, he intended on living up to it. If nothing else, Zack deserved the chance to grow into a good man. "Tifa was right. She usually is. He needed a new name. He has to be his own person, not a shadow. So... So I named him after a hero." His voice broke. It always hurt to think about Zack, the man who had sacrificed so much to save him. Even the serenity of the flowers couldn't take away all the pain.

Looking down, he regarded the child who was reaching out towards the flowers.

"His name is Zack. I- I hope Zack doesn't mind." He looked up from Zack to the sword stood proudly beyond the pond, the light reflecting on the blade, making it seem like it was shining. "Maybe this time, he'll be a different kind of hero. I'll tell him all about Zack, and you too, Aerith. I'll teach him what it is to be loved, and cherished. I'll-" His voice hitched with emotion, "I'll teach him what you taught me. What it took so long for me to learn. Love. Acceptance. Courage. Forgiveness. I'll tell him the stories of your strength, your hope. I'll-" He had to swallow a lump in his throat and take a breath before carrying on. "I'll do you both proud." A tear fell down his cheek, but he didn't bother to reach up to wipe it away. It was nice to get a little release, and he knew that Aerith wouldn't mind the show of emotion. In fact, she would have probably celebrated it.

His hand was resting gently on Zack's head, fingers idly stroking the knitted cap. Zack was too distracted to notice, his eyes still darting around and his head tilting to one side. He made a sound, half way between a gurgle and a hum. He seemed to like it here. Cloud was glad about that.

They stayed in the church for a few hours until it was time to feed Zack. Cloud took him home and fell back into his routine.

– – – –

"Did you know," Yuffie was visiting. Again. Barely a week went past between visits now, and while Cloud was grateful for the extra help, Yuffie could also be almost as tiring as Zack. "That babies can hold a throwing knife from the age of three months?" As if to prove her point, Yuffie took one of the blades from her belt and held it towards Zack.

Cloud reacted quickly, batting the knife away and glaring at her. "Don't give the baby sharp things." He admonished and an irritated tone.

"But Cloouuuud. How can he learn if you wont let him even touch them?" She picked up her knife and placed it back on her belt. "He'll never be any good if he doesn't practice!" She stood with her hands on her hips, leaning forward to stare at him with an outright grumpy look on her face.

They were once again sat in the main area of the bar. It was lunch time, and there were a few patrons around though they were minding their own business. Curiosity had been rife with the regulars when they saw Cloud now had a kid, but they knew better than to ask and Cloud was left mostly alone.

"He's three months old, Yuffie. He can't sit up on his own. How exactly were you intending on teaching him weapons safety?" Cloud reached for the second half of his sandwich and began eating, making sure not to spill any crumbs on Zack's head.

"Practice!"

Cloud shook his head. "No." That was the final word on the matter. Now if only he could trust Yuffie to drop the subject. The last thing he wanted was to wake up in the morning and find a knife in his kid's hand. Zack had little control over his limbs and spent most of his time flailing.

Grumbling, with her arms now folded across her chest, Yuffie looked down at Zack. "Don't worry. I'll teach you eventually. Maybe you'll even learn how to use long ranged weapons. Wouldn't that be nice. I'm sure daddy wants you to learn how to use a sword like him, but I know better. You'll want to _throw_ things." She kept talking to the baby, but Cloud found he wasn't listening. One word had stood out and his mind was fixated on that.

 _Daddy_.

Cloud was a father. Regardless of the circumstances of his birth, Zack was now Cloud's son. His son. Cloud had a son. He was a dad. Why it had taken months for him to realise this would remain a mystery. But now it was finally occurring to him. Cloud was a dad. Holy shit. Could he do this? Could he really be a dad? He didn't exactly have a role model. His dad had left before he was born and his mother had never taken another long term partner. He hadn't even had a father figure in his life. Nobody had stepped into that role, so he had no idea what a father was supposed to _do_. What if he screwed this up? What if he did it wrong, and Zack grew up badly? So far he'd been acting mostly on instinct. Giving the child what he needed. But that was easy when the kid only wanted one of a handful of things. What about later, when he got older? How could Cloud be sure that he wouldn't raise him to be _more_ fucked up than he was in Cloud's past?

"Hellooooooooo." Yuffie waved a hand in front of Cloud, capturing his attention. He stared at her, shell shocked. "Cloud, are you okay? You look green." She gently took Zack from his arms and looked at him in concern. "Are you gong to throw up?" Her nose wrinkled in disgust and she stepped back a little, just in case he did throw up.

"I- Can you-" He gestured to Zack and didn't give her a chance to respond before he fled the room. His stomach churning and his head spinning. He was on the back of Fenrir and half way out of the city before he realized what he was doing. He was running away again.

Slowing the bike down, he started to do his breathing exercises again, trying to control the rising panic. This had suddenly become real. Until now, it had all seemed so _temporary_. He would look after the kid for a little while, but he had never truly thought long term. And he'd certainly never thought of himself as a _dad_.

There was the rising panic again. But instead of giving into his instinct to flee, he took another breath and turned the bike around. He was probably going to get hell for taking off like that, but it was better that he returned home sooner rather than later. Still, he found himself slowing down further and further the closer he came to the bar. Anxiety was still flowing through him and his mind was still spinning.

Pulling the bike to a stop, he sat outside for a few minutes, eyes locked in front of him but looking at nothing in particular. His hands were still clutched around the handlebars and he slowly forced himself to relax and get off the vehicle.

"Feeling better?" Tifa was stood at the bar's entrance, hands on hips and anger in her eyes. "You can't do that any more." She spoke in a level tone, betraying how upset she really was. "You can't just run away when things get hard." She didn't move when Cloud approached her, not until his forehead came to rest on her shoulders and his hand snaked around her waist.

It wasn't often that Cloud initiated any form of physical affection and it always caught her off guard. Slowly, she placed her arms around him and held him, her anger dissolving into concern. "Cloud?" He was shaking in her arms.

"I don't know what to do." The admission was quiet, barely above a whisper, but he knew she heard him. "I've never had a father. I-"

Her arms tightened around him and she kissed the top of his head. "I know. I get it. But Cloud... You're not alone in this. None of us really have good role models, but we're in this together."

"What if I make a mistake?"

"Then you'll be just like the rest of us." She stepped back, hands on the sides of his shoulders as she ducked her head to look into his lowered face. "Do you really think that there's such a thing as a perfect parent? Everyone makes mistakes. But that's why you have all of us. So we can pick you up and help you learn." She let go of one of his arms and used the other to gently guide him inside. "Everyone's scared when they have a baby. It's normal. But you can't run away any more. He needs you. More than anyone ever has."

He was pushed into a chair before he lifted his head. He regarded her for a moment before giving a resolute nod. She seemed to understand. She _always_ seemed to understand. But then, she had known him for ever.

He gratefully took the drink that Yuffie offered him and slowly sipped it. Tifa was right. He wasn't alone in this. Whatever happened, he was sure that _one_ of them would know what to do.


	5. Teach Him

To the Morrow, for the Past

Chapter 5 – Teach Him -

Zack grew by leaps and bounds. It seemed like no time passed at all between milestones. One day he could do nothing but cry, eat and sleep, and the next he was rolling over, grabbing things, putting _everything_ in his mouth. Growing teeth.

Of course, he had to let _everyone_ know about the growing teeth. Cloud could appreciate that it was probably a painful process, but he was just getting used to being able to sleep at night again. Then Zack decided that he absolutely must grow teeth _now_. The first one to come in had been at the front and had been oddly adorable. Less adorable, was the constant fussing, the crying and apparent irritation at _everything_. Not only that, but he managed to chew through or break every teething toy Cloud had found for him, eventually settling for gnawing on Vincent's gauntlet.

With a grimace, Cloud wondered how the child could stand to be biting down on metal, but it seemed to keep him happy and quiet. Vincent was amused by the whole thing, and had even offered to stay for a while to help – even if that was the only thing that he felt he could do.

"You know," Cid's voice was laced with amusement as he watched Vincent with the baby. "My ma used to rub whiskey on my gums. Said it put me right to sleep."

"That's because you were drunk, Cid." For some reason, it didn't surprise him that Cid's enjoyment of alcohol had started so young. Somehow it seemed fitting.

"Hey, if it keeps 'em quiet." Cid shrugged, standing with a sigh and a grumble. "Didn't hurt me." He was still annoyed at Cloud's no smoking rule. Tifa had liked the idea enough that she had implemented it across the bar. Patrons would be told to go outside if they lit up, and very few actually protested. Maybe being the only bar in the city did have its advantages. If someone was banned, they'd have to travel all the way to Kalm for another drink, so people tended to respect the rules, even when they disagreed with them.

As Cid let himself out onto the street, Cloud poured a cup of tea and brought it out for Vincent. "Thanks." He said to the ex-Turk. "He seems to really like your arm..."

Vincent shrugged and manoeuvred himself so that he could hold Zack and drink his tea at the same time. The young boy seemed to be all but glued to the golden metal, his teeth slowly working against it. Cloud grimaced a little at the drool that was slowly forming a coat over the gauntlet.

"It's not surprising that he goes through the teething toys so quickly." Vincent said after a long sip of tea. "He's enhanced. Stronger than other children. Those toys were not designed for somebody like him."

"I've been thinking about that." Cloud sipped at his own drink, "The SOLDIER program started decades ago. I'd have thought that _some_ of them would've had kids by now." Why weren't there more enhanced children around? The Mako showers affected SOLDIER's at a genetic level, it would make sense that the enhancement would be passed to future generations.

"You weren't aware?" Vincent put his cup down and gently smoothed down Zack's hair. It was starting to get long now. "The SOLDIER process results in sterility. SOLDIER's can't have biological children."

Okay. Cloud had not known about that. Would that mean that _he_ couldn't have kids? Not that it really mattered. Cloud didn't exactly have plans to have more children. He already had Zack and Denzel, but the fact that something so biologically imperative had been stripped from him without his consent sent a spike of anger through him. Just one more reason to hate Hojo. He wondered if those who had made it into SOLDIER got told before they were injected. Probably not.

"Yeah. I didn't know that." He said quietly. "I suppose it's a good thing. I mean, SOLDIER's were made with inert Jenova cells. It probably wouldn't be good for the planet to have generations of new Jenova cells created. Not to mention that there would probably be mutations somewhere in the bloodline."

Zack made a disgruntled sound and opened his mouth. He turned to Cloud and pouted. Cloud knew that look. Zack was getting hungry. "I'll make him his bottle." He said, standing. "I'll be right back."

The trips to the church were becoming more frequent again. Zack seemed to really like it there, and it always settled him down when he was particularly fussy. His eyes were always wide and looking around, his head still tilted to the side every now and then. Cloud had wondered if he could feel her presence like he could, or if there was just something special about this place. It was probably the sound of the wind moving through the broken building.

Settling down next to the flowers, Cloud placed Zack beside him. The boy reached forward to gently stroke a petal and made a happy sound. He was nearly nine months old now, and a lot more active. In the last few weeks, he'd learned how to crawl and loved to move. Cloud was sure that he'd never had so many frights in his life. It seemed like Zack was always close to injuring himself and Cloud had taken to hovering over him at all time, just in case.

This had amused Tifa no end. She watched as Cloud fretted and as Zack seemed to take it as a challenge.

Now, at the church, Cloud made sure to keep a strong grip on the back of Zack's shirt. He'd contemplated a leash, but hadn't yet found one that would fit the boy, or one that Zack couldn't break out of easily. Cloud now understood what Tifa had been meaning when she'd asked who else could keep up with an enhanced toddler. Zack was already quite strong, he could break sturdy toys without meaning to and Cloud had no doubt that an unenhanced adult would have some problems. Especially when they used their super speed while crawling.

But for once, Zack seemed perfectly content just to sit still and stroke the flowers. He was amazingly careful with them, almost as if he understood how precious and delicate they were. If only he could treat his toys like that.

"You like the flowers, huh?" Cloud asked, ruffling a hand through the boys hair. Zack looked up at him with a grumpy look before once again becoming entranced by the flowers. He was quiet, occasionally his attention would wander from the flowers and he would look around, like he was hearing something.

"What is it?" Cloud asked quietly, still curious. Maybe Zack really could hear something. He had enhanced senses, maybe he was picking up on something too quiet for even Cloud. He didn't expect an answer. Zack would babble incoherently at times, but still hadn't made any sounds resembling words.

So perhaps Cloud could be forgiven for the complete shock he felt when Zack opened his mouth and simply said, "Song" in a quiet, contemplative voice.

Cloud stared at him for a moment, and Zack looked up at him, a massive grin on his face as if he'd just realized that he spoke. "Song!" He repeated excitedly, clapping his hands together. "Song! Song!"

Zack's grin was infectious and Cloud felt it spread on his face. He scooped up the boy and swung him up, bringing him down to rest against his chest. "You can hear a song?" He asked and Zack nodded.

"Song!"

"Who's singing?" Maybe it was pushing it a little, but Cloud was somewhat hoping for another word. He'd read somewhere that some children didn't speak until they felt they knew enough words. Cloud had somewhat expected that from Zack.

Alas, that didn't seem to be the case, as Zack appeared to be content with repeating the same word over and over. Still, it didn't matter to Cloud, he was elated and oddly proud of the boy for completing such a simple task.

He found himself spinning and bouncing Zack, grinning up at him. Zack giggled and just kept on saying "Song!" Over and over.

– – – –

The charm of Zack learning his first word quickly faded. Now that he knew how to 'speak', Zack was loathed to be quiet. In this regard, he reminded Cloud of his namesake. The hyperactive man had seemed to dislike quiet and had felt the need to fill it in any way possible.

This Zack, however, just seemed to be showing off. Every time he saw someone new, or someone he hadn't seen in the last ten minutes, he would shout his word. Tifa was still finding it amusing, even after a week, but Cloud was starting to get a little annoyed with the repetition. If nothing else, being a parent had taught him patience.

So, every evening, he would sit down with Zack and repeat simple words to him in an effort to extend his vocabulary. It took a little while, but Cloud finally managed to teach the boy a few basic words.

"Da!" Zack crawled up to Cloud as he left his room an lifted his arms. Obligingly, Cloud lifted him up and held him. "Eat?" Zack flailed his arm towards the table. Cloud wasn't sure if it was a demand for Cloud to eat, or Zack telling him he was hungry. Or maybe even both.

"Are you hungry Zack?" Cloud asked, shifting the child to his hip.

"No! Eat!"

"You want me to eat something?" Making his way towards the kitchen, he felt the boy nod against his chest, his hair tickling Cloud's chin. "Okay. I'll have something to eat. What should I have?" Even though he knew that Zack didn't know many words, he still found himself talking to him as if he would answer. According to the books Tifa had bought him, this was a good way to encourage children to learn.

"Eat!"

Tifa was already in the kitchen, preparing some breakfast for the older children. "Morning Cloud." She said, smiling down at Zack. "Good morning, Zack." She added. "Where's Marlene?"

"I think Zack escaped her." He was getting _very_ fast at crawling. And very sneaky. Cloud had a vague suspicion that Vincent had been teaching Zack the ways of the Turk.

Laughing, Tifa plated some eggs and bacon and handed it to Cloud. She dropped a kiss on Zack's forehead and ushered them to a table.

"Eat!" Zack demanded again, tugging on Cloud's shirt as he was placed in his high chair.

"Why are you so insistent that I eat?" He asked as he reached for a fork.

"Song!"

"You want to go back to the church?" This was becoming a regular request now. Cloud had always known that Zack liked spending time there, but he hadn't realized how much Zack liked it there until the boy had learned how to ask to go.

"Song!" Zack grinned.

"Hey Zack," Denzel said from the other side of the table, "Why don't you say Church?"

There was quiet for a moment. Cloud had been trying to teach him that word for a while, but Zack hadn't been interested. Now though, he was giving Denzel a look that was almost thoughtful. He moved his mouth silently for a moment before letting out a slow sound.

"Tutch" He tried. "Tutch!"

"Nearly," Denzel encouraged, forgetting about his food in his excitement. "Try chu-"

Cloud watched as Denzel tried to teach the baby, wondering how his life had come to this. Less than a year ago, he was a seasoned warrior, battling for the fate of the planet. Now... Now he was a father and a care giver. He had a family. This was not something he'd ever envisioned for himself. But it was nice.

"Tutch!"

"Okay," Cloud said with a soft chuckle. "We'll go to the church after breakfast. Now, you should eat something too, Zack."

– – – –

Time flew by at a ridiculous pace and suddenly Cloud found himself at a celebration. It was January 21st, the anniversary of Meteorfall, and, Zack's first birthday.

Without a specific date, Cloud had kept a note of how old Zack was by counting the weeks. It was probably a coincidence that his 50th week with Cloud (his 52nd week alive) had fallen on the week of the celebrations

Tifa had suggested that they use that date as Zack's birthday. It was hard to forget, and it seemed somewhat fitting, in a bitter sweet way. Without any real reason to object, or any better ideas, Cloud had agreed.

AVALANCHE was gathered together on the bridge of Shera. They were heading to Kalm for the town's yearly party. Yuffie had insisted that they get out of Edge and let Zack see more of the world, even if it was only out to Kalm. She had also insisted that he get to ride in the airship.

Zack was fascinated. He squirmed to be put down, but Cloud held on tight, knowing what kind of trouble the boy could cause and just how quickly he could move.

"We're nearly there now, Zack." Cloud muttered as he struggled with a flailing toddler. "I'll let you down when we get there."

"Vi-kent!" Vincent raised an eyebrow at Zack's attempt at his name and stepped forward.

"You father is right." He had never spoken down to the boy, always speaking to him as he would the others. "It's dangerous for you to wander around the ship. You could hurt yourself."

Zack pouted and tried to cross his arms and glare at Vincent, who simply let out a small chuckle. After a moment, Zack turned his head, looking around.

"Nanki!" He tried, but Nanaki shook his head. "Barret?" The man had been overjoyed when Zack had learned his name, and that spark of pride was still on his face, even as he shook his head with a rue smile.

"Cid?" Zack's tone spoke of the man being his last hope.

"Sorry kid," The pilot also shook his head. "You gotta listen to your dad."

Amusement was shared among the friends, even when Marlene stepped up. "If you promise not to squirm, I'll hold you and we can go to the window." She offered. Zack thought about it for a moment before nodding and reaching his arms out towards her.

Cloud handed him over, watching them carefully. He knew that Marlene wouldn't put the boy in danger, but Zack was quickly growing into his strength. It wouldn't be long now before he could over power the young girl, or even Denzel. Hopefully Zack wouldn't realise that for a long time yet. Luckily, AVALANCHE members were a lot stronger than the average person. It was doubtful he could escape them so easily.

They landed in Kalm and true to his word, Cloud asked Marlene to put Zack down when they disembarked. He watched as she kept a hold of his hands while he took a few steps. He was still clumsy, and unable to walk unassisted, but when he had help, he absolutely loved to try.

Striding ahead a little, Cloud held out a hand to stop Marlene. She stopped and waited, watching him as he crouched down on the soft grass. "Zack," Cloud got the boy's attention and smiled, "Marlene's going to let go. Why don't you try walking to me?"

Zack looked at him for a moment, then up at Marlene before taking a hesitant step forward. His foot found the ground, and he grinned, giggling happily. Marlene let him go and- and Zack fell flat on his face. There was a pause, then the tears came as he sat up, followed by the wailing.

With a sympathetic, and amused smile, Cloud moved forward, gently taking the boy by his shoulders. "It's okay Zack." He said in a quiet, reassuring voice, "You'll get there." Reaching a hand up, he ruffled Zack's silver locks before picking him up and holding him to his chest. Zack quickly calmed under the attention of his father. The sword strapped to Cloud's back distracted him, turning the sobs to sniffles. He reached out but his arms weren't long enough for him to actually touch it.

Cloud had decided that while he was comfortable to leave the sword behind around Edge, going out of the city without one was a bad idea. Also, without a weapon, he felt somewhat naked and vulnerable. So even though Zack was still curious, and _still_ put everything in his mouth, it was worth the risk.

Cloud shifted Zack slightly so that he was even further away from the sword, just to be safe.

"Come on then," He said, loud enough for his friends to hear him. "Let's go enjoy the festival." And with that, he headed into the town proper.

The festival was lively, hundreds, if not thousands of people were in the town, enjoying the music and food. A parade of brightly clothed people moved through the main street, throwing small pieces of wrapped candy into the crowd.

AVALANCHE had split up, each person finding their own things to explore, leaving Cloud with the children. He navigated his way to a small food booth and sat the children down, Zack on his knee. He let the children order their own food (Zack seemed to really enjoy some sort of fried bean, which was soft enough for him to eat comfortably). Once the children were happily eating, Cloud let his attention wander, taking all the sights and sounds. He'd been hesitant to bring Zack here, there were a lot of people and his paranoia insisted that it would be the perfect place for an attack.

But there were in a time of peace. For the first time in over fifty years, there were no war or animosity between nations, no battles or fights to be won. A near apocalypse seemed to be what was needed for everyone to get along. Still, Cloud and his companions were somewhat famous, and if word got around that they were there, there was always a chance that they could be targeted.

"Hey Cloud?" Denzel looked at his caretaker, then around their immediate area before ducking his head under the table. "Where's Zack?"

Where's...? Cloud looked down at his lap and gave a start. Zack wasn't there. A frantic look around, and still no sign of him. "Zack!" Cloud was panicking, his heart beating fast in his chest and his breath coming out in short, rapid gasps. "ZACK!" In a second he was on his feet, "Marlene, Denzel, go find Tifa. She said she was going to look at the alcohol store." Without checking that the children were doing as they were told, he sped off, his enhanced speed and senses scanning the crowd even as he pushed through it.


	6. Find Him

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 6 – Find Him –

The air was getting cooler as darkness began to fall. The festival seemed to pick up in intensity and bonfires were lit. People began dancing around them, music playing loudly over the chattering hum that large crowds tended to generate. Somewhere in the streets was a blue balloon, floating around hip height, being batted to and fro by the movement of the crowd. Below it, a small boy toddled forward, reaching for it and occasionally stumbling before standing to run after it again. Nobody seemed to pay him any mind, everyone caught up in their own merriment.

Until one man saw him. The boy seemed to be alone, nobody watching him. "Hey kiddo." The blonde man crouched in front of the young boy, his hand snagging the string of the balloon. He handed it to the boy and smiled reassuringly at it. "Where's your mum and dad?" He asked quietly. He didn't make any sudden moves towards the boy, and spoke quietly, not wanting to spook him. These days it was safer to assume that all children were dealing with some sort of trauma than not.

The boy looked up at him, and the man had to stifle a gasp of surprise. The silver hair had been unusual, but not completely unheard of, but those eyes... only one person he'd ever known had had those eyes. Was this boy related to him?

"My name's Kunsel." He said, offering a hand to the boy to shake, smiling and not letting his surprise show. The boy just continued to wordlessly stare at him for a little while before reaching out and taking his hand.

"My n'm is Zack." He said quietly, a little shyly.

"That's a good name. I had a friend with that name." Kunsel smiled, slightly bitter sweet at the memory of the tall SOLDIER. "Shall we go look for your mummy or daddy?" He asked, and when Zack nodded, he reached forward. "Is it okay if I carry you? You'll be able to see better if you're higher up."

Another nod, and the boy was in his arms, still clutching tightly to the balloon string in his hand. He didn't say anything more, just looked around with a small frown, eyes darting around the crowd.

"What's your mom's name?" Kunsel asked. Such a young boy might not know, but it was always worth checking.

"Only Da." He heard the boy say. There was no hint of sadness in his voice, so whatever had happened to his mother must have been a long time ago.

"That's okay, lets see if we can find him. What's his name?" Zack looked up at Kunsel, a new frown on his face.

"Da?" Zack tried to answer. "Like you." He pulled on Kunsel's blond hair and then held it up, as if to make it spike.

Kunsel nodded, hoping he understood. Blonde hair wasn't all that common, especially not in these parts, so finding this boys father shouldn't be too hard.

From across the crowd, Kunsel's SOLDIER hearing picked up a frantic call. Someone was definitely looking for the kid. He headed in that direction, keeping up a small monologue to keep the boy comforted.

Distracted, he didn't realise that the shouting had stopped until a sword appeared in front of his face. Swallowing, he shifted slightly to hold the boy further back, in an effort to protect him. His eyes followed the blade up to the very angry looking blonde wielder. The man's eyes held the same Mako glow as Kunsel's own. This was a very dangerous situation to be in.

"Give him back." The growled demand was hard to hear over the sounds of life around them. When Kunsel took too long to reply, the blade was twisted slightly to bring his attention back to it. As if he could forget that the massive (and somewhat familiar) blade was held within an inch of his face.

"Zack," Kunsel said softly, not wanting to betray his current level of anxiety, "Do you know this man?"

"Da!" Zack began to wriggle in Kunsel's arms. Slowly, making his every movement obvious, he lowered himself to his knees and set the boy on his feet. In a flash, the sword was gone and the boy was swept up by -

"Hey, I know you." Kunsel didn't stop the words coming from his mouth as he returned to his feet. "You were an infantryman. Zack's friend." His name was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't remember it. But he did remember that Zack's friend had never made it to SOLDIER. Why then, did the man have the Mako glow in his narrowing eyes?

The blonde man gave a small nod, his arms around his boy in a protective manner. "Cloud." He said, regarding Kunsel with suspicion.

"I'm Kunsel." He said, "I was- Zack was my friend."

Cloud nodded, the suspicion receding a little, but not completely. "Thank you." He said, looking at his son for a moment. "For giving him back."

"Yeah man, no problem. I saw him walking around alone. Kalm's pretty safe and all, but I didn't want him to stay lost."

Cloud seemed to give a surprised start, his eyes jumping to his son before returning to Kunsel. "He can't walk yet..."

Kunsel just shrugged, "Apparently he can. He was chasing a balloon," He gestured to the string still in Zack's hand. Cloud held the boy closer for a second.

"Did you walk, Zack?" He asked quietly and the boy beamed up at him, babbling in a way that only young children can.

Without looking back at Kunsel, Cloud walked off, chatting softly with the boy.

– – – –

How could he have been so _careless_!? Cloud clutched tightly to Zack, holding him as close to his chest as he safely could. He was storming forward, the crowds parting for him without him even noticing. His mood was rapidly souring, and all he wanted to do was get Zack _home._ His body was shaking, his mind racing. Things could have gone so bad. If Zack had been found by somebody else... No. He shook his head, clearing it of those thoughts. It wouldn't do to dwell on that right now.

"Cloud!" Tifa's anxious shout rang out, and Cloud soon found himself face to worried face with her. He could almost taste the relief when she saw he held Zack. "You found him." She let out a breath and reached a shaking hand forward to rest it on Zack's head, her shoulder's sagging as they relaxed from their hyper tense state.

Cloud nodded, "An ex-SOLDIER found him." He said quietly, "Brought him back." Together, they headed towards the outskirts of town, Tifa leading the way. She had pulled out her PHS and sent a message to their friends.

"An ex-SOLDER? Didn't think there were many of them left." They soon reached the airship and Cloud felt the tension leave him the moment they stepped on board.

"Yeah. He said he was a friend of Zack's." Feeling the boy in his arms look up at the sound of his name, he lowered his head to smile at him, still talking to Tifa. "The other Zack, I mean."

They walked through the cargo bay and down to the small cafeteria like area. Once they were inside, Cloud closed the door tightly before putting Zack down. "He said Zack was walking around. Hey buddy," He caught the boy's attention. "You can't wonder off like that." He said, "You could get hurt, and if I don't know where you've gone, then I can't help you."

He watched the boy, trying to see if he understood. He was a very intelligent child, but he _was_ still a child. A very young one at that. Zack watched Cloud's face, his own forming a small frown before clearing up into a smile.

"Okay Da." He said, reaching up to put his arms around Cloud's neck in a hug. Cloud let out a small sigh and returned the hug.

"Good. You had us worried." The blonde let go and stood. "You didn't eat all your lunch, are you hungry?"

"Eat!"

Chuckling, Cloud nodded. "Okay. Hey buddy," He turned towards the counter, subtly keeping his eyes on his son. "Can you go to Tifa?" And from the corner of his eyes, he saw Zack take one step forward, then another. Soon his was all but running to Tifa. And boy did he move fast.

– – – –

Zack's new found mobility had caused Cloud a few almost heart attacks. The boy never seemed to look where he was going and had already run into a large number of objects around the bar. Tifa had done her best to baby proof the area, but there was only so much she could do. They had agreed that Zack would have to be watched constantly whenever he was in the bar.

Luckily, Cloud and Zack's room was a lot easier to baby proof, and Zack had been allowed to wonder around as he please, which he had loved. Every time Zack got to his feet anywhere but in their room, Cloud became anxious. He would watch Zack closely, forcing himself not to rush forward and stop the boy from getting hurt.

His baby books and Tifa had both told him that young children needed to get small bumps and bruises as a part of their development and learning. Apparently protecting Zack from every little danger was a _bad_ thing.

This wasn't the first difficult learning curve, but it was one of the hardest. Cloud's instinct to protect had to be pushed down whenever he watched Zack running around. He flinched any time the child came too close to running into _another_ wall or chair, but held himself back, only allowing himself to approach if Zack needed comfort.

It had surprised him how quickly he'd come to care for Zack. He'd never intended on having children, having believed that he would never be a good parent. When he'd found Denzel, he knew that the boy needed help. Tifa had said to bring him home, so Cloud had. He hadn't realized that Tifa had only intended on treating the boys wounds and feeding him a little. When she had said that Denzel was ready to go, Cloud had stepped in and said he should stay. He still didn't know why he'd done that. He never regretted it, but Denzel was as much Tifa's child as he was his, and he was old enough to be mostly independent.

But with Zack... The boy had been all but forced on him. He hadn't thought he would be able to bond with the young version of Sephiroth, but he had. And quickly. Zack was nearly a year and a half old now, and Cloud absolutely adored him. His life had changed a lot in the last 18 months, but he wouldn't change things for the world.

A soft sigh came from beside him and Cloud smiled at the boy curled up against his side. Cloud had been reading through a mechanic's guide when Zack had climbed up next to him. Switching the guide to the other book on his bedside table, Cloud started the next chapter of Zack's book, reading it out loud and holding it so that Zack could look at the pages. It had become habit when Zack had been around six months old.

"Da." Zack's sleepy voice interrupted Cloud's reading and he looked down at his son.

"What is it buddy?"

"Can we go church morrow?" The sleepy boy asked, rubbing his eyes with a closed fist before turning his hopeful green eyes up at Cloud.

"Sure." Cloud put the book down and leaned forward to kiss Zack's forehead. "Let's get you to bed now, so we can go nice and early." With that, he tucked the boy in and watched as he fell asleep.

Like always, the church was serene. The small breeze blew through the ruined walls, echoing lightly off the remaining structure. The flowers swayed lightly and Cloud gently placed Zack in front of the flowers.

"Zack wanted to come here today." He said quietly, speaking to his memory of her.

Zack had once asked why Cloud spoke to the flowers, and Cloud had done his best to explain it to him. The boy was still too young to properly understand the concept of death, and Cloud really had no idea how to explain it to him. So he'd told Zack that somebody he loved very much wasn't there any more, and that he remembered her when he sat by the flowers.

It was close to the truth, and when Zack was old enough, Cloud might try to explain it again.

"Hello." Zack said brightly. Once Cloud had explained to him his story, Zack had started to join in with the talking. Sometimes he would get quiet and answer a question that wasn't asked. Cloud assumed that Zack was playing along, pretending that Aerith was speaking to him. One sided conversations weren't exactly a common occurrence, and Zack knew that to have a conversation, you needed two people to talk.

Cloud idly fixed Zack's collar as the boy leaned over and began to tend to the flowers. Cloud followed his example.

"I can run now!" Zack said happily, "And Da gets all scared. Is funny." Cloud frowned at that, shaking his head in exasperation. "S'times I run in stuff, but it's okay 'cause Da and Tif is always there." He continued to 'talk' to Aerith as he pulled weeds from the flowerbed. Cloud was sure that these conversations were helping Zack learn how to use his words. He'd been picking up a lot more of them recently and always seemed to be able to string them together better after visiting the church.

When Zack went quiet, Cloud looked down at him. The boy was deep in thought, his fingers gently stroking a petal. Zack smiled softly, "Yeah." He said quietly, "He does." He looked up at Cloud and grinned, "She says you love lots."

Cloud had to smile softly at that and nod. It sounded very much like something Aerith would say. "Yeah. I guess I do."

Suddenly, Zack was three. He was running around after the older children, and was truly starting to show his own, unique, personality. He was shy and quiet around people he didn't know, somewhat reserved even, but around those he knew and trusted, he was a chatter box. He loved to be helpful and was usually kind. Aside from the odd temper tantrum that one expects from a toddler, he was also pretty well behaved.

This is what Sephiroth could have been. This kind, sweet boy who loved to tend to flowers and 'talk' to Cloud's dead friend. The boy that would become upset if he thought he'd hurt someone, or cry when his friends left to go home.

Cloud only hoped that Zack would keep these qualities as he grew.

He'd finally become comfortable leaving Edge with Zack, but only if the boy promised to stay by Cloud's side at all times. Zack took his promises seriously, especially when Cloud had offered him his pinky finger to seal the promise.

Now that Cloud was comfortable taking Zack out of the city with him, he'd started running a few deliveries again. It was nice to be on the road, even if it was in a car rather than on the back of Fenrir. Zack absolutely loved going for long drives. He would wind the window all the way down, laughing joyously at the feel of the wind rushing through his almost shoulder length hair. On the longer trips he would sleep for most of the time, but when he was awake, he would stare at the rapidly changing surroundings as if trying to take it all in.

That was something that Cloud had noticed. Zack loved to observe and learn. If he was in a new situation or place, he would look everywhere he could and take in all the information he could learn before speaking to anyone. This didn't really surprise Cloud, Zack was genetically identical to Sephiroth, and the older man had always known everything that was happening around him. That was what made him such a good leader.

What _did_ surprise Cloud was how _fast_ and how _much_ Zack was learning. When she was sure that Cloud had intended on raising Zack, Tifa had put Cloud in contact with other local parents, and had all but showered him in any and every baby book she could find. According to both the books and the parents, Zack shouldn't be half as aware as he was. Ordinary 18 month old babies didn't speak in full sentences and had a much harder time comprehending the world around them. Yet Zack did, and not only that, but he'd shown an interest in learning things that he shouldn't be ready for yet.

He wasn't quite up to reading, but he could follow the words. He knew that longer written words took longer to say and would point at the pages in the book, running his fingers along the text that Cloud was reading. He couldn't recognise individual letters yet, but he seemed to have a grasp on what written words _were_.

It probably shouldn't have been a surprise though. Zack had been genetically enhanced, modified with the intent of breeding a superior being. Faster, stronger, more agile and more intelligent. Cloud wouldn't have put it past Hojo to have aimed for Sephiroth to have matured faster. Wasn't he already a military leader at thirteen? Cloud vaguely remembered doing the math and being astounded.

So if the other version of Sephiroth had been sent to war at thirteen, then it made sense that he had matured faster than the average human. It also explained Zack's height. At 18 months, Zack was already going to a small preschool -one that was intended to encourage children to interact with each other and learn how to form friendships- and he was already almost half a head taller than the other children. When Cloud thought of Sephiroth's full height – well over six feet tall – it definitely made sense that Zack would be taller than average.

Still, it would be nice if he stayed the same height for more than a few months. Cloud was somewhat tired of having to constantly buy him new clothes. But at least he now had a use for the shoes that Tifa still bought him.

Reaching their destination, Cloud pulled the car to a slow stop and looked at the seat behind him. Zack was fast asleep, a stuffed chocobo in his arms. Being as quiet as he could, Cloud climbed out of the car and quickly dropped the package off. He was gone less than two minutes but still felt anxiety when coming back to the car. Thankfully, Zack hadn't moved and Cloud climbed back into the drivers seat.

They were on their way to the chocobo farm for their main delivery, but he'd had one to drop off at Kalm first.

Pausing to take a drink from his water bottle, Cloud leaned back in his car seat and sighed. He watched Zack for a moment, wanting to take him in. He was growing so quickly that Cloud was afraid he'd miss it. After a moment, he turned around and started the engine.

– – – – –

Zack slept all the way to the chocobo farm. Cloud was somewhat envious. It had been almost half a days travel – much slower than it would have been on Fenrir, and Cloud was becoming fatigued. He pulled to a stop and turned the engine off before waking Zack.

Sleepy green eyes looked up at him as Cloud released him from his harness. Usually, Cloud would leave Zack in the car when they stopped to drop off a package – unless Zack needed to be changed or fed – but this time, Cloud wanted Zack to see the chocobos.

It had been Cid that had given him the stuffed one, and Zack had absolutely loved it. He only ever let go when Tifa insisted that the toy get washed, and then Zack would stand there and watch as it was washed. When it was set out to dry, Zack had been told that he couldn't play with it until Tifa or Cloud told him it was dry, so he would sit next to the washing line and watch the sky while he waited.

It amused Cloud, and he was glad that the boy didn't throw tantrums like the other children he'd seen. Apparently it was normal, and even healthy, for him to have a comfort toy so Cloud didn't discourage it.

Zack had named it Nuggets.

"Hey buddy," Cloud said to the sleepy toddler. "There's something I want to show you." He lifted the boy into his arms, knowing that Zack was too sleepy to walk by himself. Also, Cloud didn't want him running off. Chocobos were normally docile, but they were _much_ bigger than the baby.

"'Kay." Zack muttered, holding Nuggets close to his chest and nuzzling against Cloud's.

He carried Zack to the edge of the paddock before nudging him awake again. When Zack looked up at him (slightly grumpy from being woken up), Cloud tilted his head and let out a whistle, pointing towards the giant bird heading his way.

When Zack's eyes caught it, they widened and he grinned, reaching for it. The chocobo padded closer and Cloud ruffled the feathers on the side of the bird's neck. "Hello," He greeted it. It had always amused his friends that he would talk to chocobos, but it seemed to work for him. It had helped the wild ones calm down enough to take a rider, and he was convinced that speaking to them had been what had given him the edge at the races.

Zack squealed in delight when the chocobo returned Cloud's greeting with a 'Kweh!' and lowered its neck.

They stayed out there for a few minutes before Cloud went inside to deliver the package.

– – – – – –

It became a semi-regular trip for them after that. Zack would bug and pester Cloud until he agreed to take Zack with him, and then off they would go, Zack barely able to keep his excitement in check.

By the age of three, Zack was allowed to ride one of the smaller chocobos. By age four, Cloud had bought him one of his own – a hatching to grow up with him. Zack had loved that chick and would become more and more insistent that they go.

It wasn't long after Zack had been given his very own chocobo (Biscuit) that Cloud had decided to try Zack out on the back of Fenrir. He had come across an attachment that fitted across the seat. It was a sort of harness that Zack fit in to perfectly, and most important of all, it was safe. Using Fenrir cut their journey time by a large fraction. It would be faster still if Cloud hadn't been worried about Zack – he was unwilling to go to maximum speed with a kid on the back. It was liberating. Cloud hadn't realized just how much he missed his bike.

On their last trip to the farm, the rancher had approached Cloud with a young chocobo and asked Cloud to take it for a run. Apparently it had been bread to race, but the jockey hadn't been able to make their regular trip and it needed to run to help the developing muscles. Cloud had hesitated for a moment, worried about Zack, before the rancher pointed out that Cloud probably weighed quite a bit less than the steeds jockey, and the addition of a small child would actually be a good thing. So Cloud had taken the chocobo for a run, Zack strapped to his front.

The boy had loved it. He liked to go fast, and seemed to enjoy the time spent with the birds. Cloud had had to insist that Zack tie up his long hair though – it was blowing into Cloud's face just a little too much.

Cloud would never forget that memory – Zack's exhilarated shouts of excitement, the feeling of the wind through his hair and the speed of the passing landscape. He wouldn't forget how happy he was, how satisfied and fulfilled. Sure, he'd lost a lot, and a lot of very bad things had happened to him in his life. But for the first time in a long time, Cloud felt truly happy.

Maybe he should have realised that it couldn't last.


	7. A New Time

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 7 – A New Time

Zack was five when it happened. When Cloud lost him.

They were in the church, gently tending to the flowers. Zack was having a one sided conversation with Aerith's memory when Cloud felt a sudden pull on his shoulders. Steadying himself, he looked around and found nothing out of the ordinary but then it happened again. It was like some invisible force was grabbing him by the collar and dragging him towards the pool in the centre of the flower patch.

After a few moments, the tugging became relentless and it took all of Cloud's considerable strength to resist it. "Zack." He threw his phone at his son, "Call Tifa. Now." His voice had a tone of desperation to it as he struggled to remain where he was, body inching towards the waters edge.

"It's okay." Zack told him, holding Cloud's phone but making no moves to use it. "Aerith says that you need to let go."

That had actually been the first time that Zack had used her name. Cloud wasn't even sure he'd ever actually _told_ Zack her name. The boy was smiling softly at him, just as calm and serene as she had been.

"She said that you're going away for a while. But that you'll be okay and that the planet will look after you." He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, the smile turning sad and tears forming in his eyes. Cloud wanted desperately to go to him, but was unable to move in any direction but forward. "There's something you need to do. And I might not see you for a long time. But it's okay. Tifa will look after me." He didn't move and Cloud felt the tugging getting stronger and stronger, his feet now skidding on the soil of the flower bed.

Without having time to comprehend what Zack had just told him, and how he could possibly _know_ the things he'd just said, he was flung head first into the pool.

The moment the water engulfed him, Cloud knew that this wasn't normal. It didn't soak into his clothes or hair like it should have, didn't fill his lungs. Instead it felt... It felt like Aerith's garden. The serene place that she had brought him to when she needed to speak with him or to guide him. It had only happened a few times, and the last time was half a decade ago, but Cloud would never forget that feeling.

He felt like he was drifting, floating on nothing for a while before he started to get heavy. His body sagged as though all his energy was sapped. He felt tired. So tired. His strength faded as he felt himself fall lower and lower, the bright white slowly fading into the darkest black. All he wanted to do was sleep.

He didn't know how long he lay like that. It could have been seconds, it could have been years. His senses were completely blank, and his perception of time seemed non existent. He simply lay there feeling nothing. No pain, no joy, no fear, no hope. Just... nothing. It was oddly nice.

The voice seemed to be coming from far away. He could hear it long before he could understand it, like a hushed whisper in a low wind. Only there was no wind. Straining his ears, Cloud concentrated on it, trying to piece together the syllables into something he could comprehend.

"Wake up." He heard it. It was familiar. It sounded like... was that Aerith?

"You need to wake up." The words came again, and Cloud knew for sure. It was Aerith. He opened his eyes to find himself back in her garden.

"A-Aerith?" His throat hurt. His head hurt. Everything hurt. It was sudden and all at once, and Cloud didn't care for it.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, standing somewhere behind him. He felt a hand touch the back of his shoulder, just under his guard. "There's something you have to do..." Her other hand joined the first, and before he could speak again, she pushed him forward.

The scenery around him disappeared as he stumbled, and suddenly he was at the Chocobo Farm. Blinking in the sudden sunlight, Cloud lifted a hand to shield them while he looked around himself. How had he got to the Chocobo Farm? He'd been in-He'd been in Aerith's church, right?

If this had been the first time he'd woken up somewhere strange suddenly, he would have probably panicked a little. But this wasn't the first time. This wasn't the second time. Cloud didn't even want to _count_ how many time's he'd suddenly been somewhere unexpected. By now, he knew the drill.

Step One: Figure out _where_ he was. Check. He was at the Chocobo Farm.

Step Two: How much time had passed. By using the mountains as a guide, Cloud turned to face North. He looked at the position of the sun. When he'd been in Midgar's ruins with Zack, it had been early evening. Now the sun was still rising, almost at its peak. Late morning, almost noon. So around eighteen hours then.

Step Three: Alert friends to his current location. Cloud felt around in his pocket for a moment before remembering that he'd given Zack his phone. Okay. Find a way of communicating with his friends. He was sure he could do that. The ranch had a phone.

Step four was to find a place to wait while his friends came to collect him anyway, he might as well wait inside. That last step had seemed unnecessary to him at first, but after realising that he wasn't always in the best mental state when he woke up like this, he'd conceded that staying put was probably a smart choice.

With a goal in mind, Cloud walked towards the ranch. When he knocked on the door, he'd expected Willy, the new stable hand, instead he came face to face with Chocobo Bill. He couldn't help but stare. The man had been dead for almost two years and yet here he was, alive and well. And... younger? "Uh-"

Okay. So maybe calling his friends wouldn't be the best of ideas. Either he was completely losing it (again) or the planet had thrown him back in time (again). Either way, he had to have more information before he could formulate a plan.

"You here for a chocobo?" Choco Bill asked, and Cloud managed to shake off his shock enough to shake his head.

"I'm lost." He was making up a plan on the fly. Outside of combat, that rarely worked out well for him. "I- Can you point me to Edge?"

"Edge o' what?" Well. That proved it. Choco Bill had been dead for two years, and Edge had been a major city for the last seven. Cloud had travelled back in time. Again. Hopefully. It was either that, or he was in some sort of hallucination. He couldn't completely rule out that possibility. He seemed to have fallen into the lifestream (again), and that could very definitely cause realistic hallucinations (again).

"Sorry." Cloud muttered. "Can I have some water?"

With a strange look, Choco Bill turned around and gestured for Cloud to go inside. He went to the small kitchen and poured Cloud a drink. "You all right?" He asked when Cloud took the glass.

Using the water as a stalling tactic, Cloud tipped the glass to his mouth, eyes quickly scanning the area. On the counter in the kitchen, he saw a calender. Choco Bill didn't seem to mark the days off, but at least Cloud had some idea of the time period he was in. It was January εγλ 0001.

He'd travelled back almost fifteen years.

Choco Bill was still waiting for an answer, but before Cloud could finish his water and answer, there was a loud, terrified scream from outside. Without hesitating or thinking, Cloud rushed outside, the glass dropping to the floor. His hand went to the hilt of his sword and drew it the moment he left the small house.

It didn't take him long to find the source of the screaming. A hundred or so meters away, a young woman huddled over a chocobo hatching, staring terrified at the massive snake that was heading towards them. A Midgar Zolom.

Cloud sprang into action, covering the distance quickly and passing the woman – Chloe, Cloud remembered Choco Bill's granddaughter – and ran straight to the Zolom. It had been a long time since the serpent had posed a real threat to Cloud, but then, it had also been a long time since Cloud had last seen combat. Sure, he would take out the odd monster here and there, but it was rare for him to take on anything more intimidating than a Kalm Fang these days. He did his best to stay out of too much danger now that he had Zack.

He was a little rusty, his moves were awkward, his muscles protested and his balance wasn't quite up to scratch, but it didn't take him long to kill the python. He watched as it dropped to the ground, it's 30 foot body writhing in death throws. He waited until it was still before turning around to check on Chloe.

She was staring at him wide eyed, clutching the baby chocobo to her chest, almost as if she were afraid of him. "Are you alright?" He asked, offering her a hand.

She stared at him for a moment longer before reaching a shaking hand out. He helped her up and made sure she was steady before letting her hand drop. She nodded mutely, still shaking. "Let's get you back inside." He said, guiding her to the small house. He knew shock when he saw it, and it was best to get her somewhere safe and warm.

They were about half way back to the house when he noticed a shadow leaning against a tree. His hand tightened on the hilt of his weapon, but didn't show any other outward signs that he'd noticed the man in the black suit. Only when he'd safely taken Chloe back to the farmhouse did he turn to face him.

Tseng looked different. A lot younger. Around fifteen years younger. Just another thing consistent with his current theory of time travel (he really didn't want to think too hard about the other alternatives).

The Turk watched Cloud as he approached, not moving until he was close enough for a conversation. Cloud kept his sword in his hand, regarding the man with thinly veiled suspicion. If he had travelled back in time, this Tseng couldn't be trusted. If he hadn't, then the Tseng from his time would forgive him for being paranoid while in the throws of a mako overdose. Deep down, he was a good man. A good man with poor choices for employers, but a good man.

When Cloud didn't speak, Tseng started the conversation. "It's not every day you see a Zolom defeated." He started cautiously. "And rarer still that you meet a man with eyes like yours." Mako eyes had been a sign of SOLDIER. As far as Cloud knew, it had never happened naturally. "Especially on the face of someone I do not know."

Cloud remained silent and Tseng pushed himself from his leaning position against the tree to regard him. "As you might imagine, you have made me curious. Who are you?"

Without a word, Cloud just turned around and began to walk away. He didn't want to deal with the Turks or Shinra. He just wanted to find out exactly when he was and why he was here. He wanted to complete his mission so the planet would send him home. First, he had to figure out what that was.

"I would recommend you come to Shinra." Tseng was still speaking. Cloud didn't turn around. "Willingly."

That made Cloud pause and let out a tired sigh. Of course, it wouldn't be so easy to get away. A civilian with Mako eyes and enough skill to take down a Zolom would pose a security risk. If nothing else, Shinra would need to ascertain that its secrets hadn't been spilled somewhere. "Not interested." He said flatly.

If Tseng wanted to take him in, he would have to do it by force. While Cloud wasn't looking forward to fighting someone who would one day become a begrudging ally, he really didn't want to be subjected to Shinra's science department. No. He would much rather go down fighting, and take anyone he had to with him than see _him_ again.

"I see." Cloud realized that Tseng had caught up with him and was walking along side him. Cloud hadn't really decided on _where_ he was going and had picked a direction at random before walking away. He looked at Tseng from the corner of his eyes. The man's dark hair was shorter than he was used to and he wore it in a ponytail. His eyes appeared bigger, but that was down to the lack of wrinkles that had slowly gathered on the man's face. This Tseng looked like he was in his early twenties. Suddenly Cloud felt old.

"You do realise," The Turk continued, "That you will eventually be brought in." Cloud could see that Tseng was examining him with curiosity in the same way that Cloud had just been looking at him. To the outside observer, they were casually strolling through the fields with their eyes forward.

"I said I'm not interested." Cloud repeated.

"That won't matter." Tseng stopped and Cloud found himself stopping too. He turned to the Turk, glaring at him. He wanted to cross his arms, but he still had his weapon drawn. "If you come with me now, I'm sure we could... negotiate... something. Shinra wont allow someone with your..." Again, Tseng looked at Cloud's eyes, "Talents, go without speaking with you first."

"Not. Interested." He lifted First Tsurugi, the weight in his arms comforting, even as his muscles protested. He didn't want to do this. In his time Tseng had earned himself Cloud's respect. This felt wrong. But not as wrong as the idea of willingly stepping into Shinra. There was no way that they _wouldn't_ send him to the science department.

"Hmm." Tseng reached into his pocket, and Cloud watched with caution, ready to attack if need be, but there wasn't a need. Tseng didn't pull out a weapon, instead he pulled out a business card. "I see. If you change your mind, please do give me a call. We could use a man of your skill."

Cloud didn't move until he was sure that Tseng was well and truly gone. He looked down at the card in his hand and sheathed his sword with a sigh, his newly emptied hand moving to pinch the bridge of his nose.

After a moment, he headed towards the mountains. He knew of a cave he could take shelter in while he figured out what the hell he was going to do next.

– – – – – –


	8. A New Beginning

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 8 – A New Beginning -

The cave wasn't there.

Cloud stared at the sheer cliff face for a moment of incomprehension. As far as he was aware, it would take centuries for a cave that big to form, and he'd only gone back in time fifteen years. Then again, there _had_ been a meteor fall on the planet, and the lifestream _had_ erupted from the surface. He supposed that would have changed the topography somewhat. The cave had had to have come from _somewhere_ after all.

Anyway, it didn't matter. Cloud still needed shelter for the night. With an irritated sigh, he turned around and went back in the direction he had come from.

The sun was low in the sky by the time he made it back to the Chocobo Farm. His muscles were aching and his energy levels were quickly depleting. How long had it been since he'd walked this far? Not since he'd got Zack, that's for sure. Maybe even before that. He'd had Fenrir after all. Why walk when you can ride?

It must have been in the months leading up to Meteorfall. That was nearly eight years ago – or seven years from now. Cloud tried not to think too hard on tenses. His past just happened to be from this world's future and it could get very confusing.

Tired, hungry and all around in a bad mood, Cloud took a deep breath before knocking on the door of the small house. Choco Bill answered with a look of surprise. "Oh, it's you!" This time, he ushered Cloud inside, seemingly excited about his presence. "You took off so fast – we didn't get a chance to thank you! You're just in time for dinner, come on, sit down!"

He allowed the old man to push him into a chair at the table. Chloe sat opposite him, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Beside her was her brother Choco Billy regarded him with something akin to awe.

"You saved Chloe." He said, "From a _Zolom_." The way he said that reminded Cloud that it was all but unheard of for a Zolom to be defeated without a small army. Or Sephiroth. Even the First Class SOLDIER's didn't fight one alone. And Cloud had killed one in less than five minutes. No wonder the Turks were interested in him.

But why _had_ Tseng been there? "There was a man watching." He said quietly as a bowl of stew was put in front of him. "Did you see him?"

"Oh, you mean mister grumpy face?" A bowl was also put in front of the siblings and she started eating almost right away. "Yeah, he likes to watch the chocobos. Something about grace?" She shrugged. "He doesn't do no harm and the chocobos like him."

"Hmm." Cloud picked up a spoon and slowly started to eat. The food was good. _Really_ good and he suddenly realized just how hungry he was. It was difficult to tell when he last ate – time travel really screwed with things like that – and he found himself greedily shovelling food into his mouth. He slowed down as soon as he realised what he was doing and looked up to see three amused faces.

"I guess fighting Zoloms makes you hungry huh?" Billy said, pushing a plate of bread towards Cloud. "Sorry we don't got anything better."

Cloud shook his head, "This is delicious." He reassured the boy. "Thank you." That part was aimed at the old man, Billy.

"You a SOLDIER?" How old was Chloe at this point in time? Cloud couldn't remember. She was asking the same kinds of questions that he would expect to come from Denzel. He thought back to his time. Chloe had been about the same age as Cloud. Maybe a little older? At this time, Cloud had been... thirteen. Gods that was a long time ago. That would put Chloe somewhere in her early to mid teens.

She was still looking at him expectantly, and Cloud shook his head in answer. "No." He finished his meal and gently pushed the plate forward. "SOLDIER is a den of monsters."

"But your eyes...?" Cloud had actually thought about that, and had come up with an answer that wasn't entirely a lie.

"I fell into a Mako pool." He told her. "I got sick and when I woke up, I had these." He gestured to his eyes.

There was another plate placed in front of him, and Cloud looked up in surprise. Choco Bill smiled at him. "You saved my Chloe." He said with a shrug.

Home made apple pie. Cloud's mouth watered and he gladly took a bite. Ordinarily he wouldn't accept this sort of thing from virtual strangers, but right now, he was hungry enough to do so. Why go hungry when you had a choice?

– – – – –

After dinner, Cloud hadn't had to ask for a place to stay. It was already dark out and Choco Billy insisted that he stay at least until dawn. It was well known to be dangerous between cities after dark – nocturnal monsters tended to be a lot more vicious than diurnal - and Cloud didn't argue about staying, grateful for the warm place to sleep.

Morning came, but Cloud still had no idea what to do next. The planet hadn't given him any clue so he had no idea what his mission was, let alone how to achieve it. He knew he couldn't stay at the ranch, but the only other thing he could think of was to go to Midgar. To Aerith's church- only Aerith would probably be there and he wasn't sure he could handle seeing her alive again. His guilt was still pressing heavily on him. Even if she had forgiven him, Cloud didn't know if he would ever forgive himself.

Without a better idea, Cloud decided to head towards Midgar. He was offered a Chocobo – the walk would take him a _very_ long time, so he accepted the steed great fully. The journey still took a while, but with a chocobo the monsters left him alone and he moved a lot faster than on foot.

By the time he arrived at the edge of the Midgar Wastes, Cloud had come up with a rudimentary plan. And it involved infiltrating Shinra. The thought didn't appeal to him, but he had to find some way to get close to Sephiroth. With nothing to go on, Cloud had assumed that his mission had something to do with the Silver General. It always had in the past, so why not in… the past? The only other time he'd time travelled he'd been told to save the boy.

But was he supposed to save the man again, or take him out? He'd been on missions for both, so it was hard to be sure. He only hoped that things would become more clear as time went on.

First though, he needed to get close to the man. And that meant joining Shinra. Probably even SOLDIER. Cloud was certain he'd make it in this time, but the idea of being around the science department still made him anxious.

Hadn't Tseng said that they could negotiate? It was a long shot, but the man might be able to help.

When Cloud arrived at the gates to the slums, he climbed off the chocobo. He gave it the rest of the greens he had been carrying and watched it down them before heading back to the ranch. When the chocobo was out of sight he turned and faced the gate before him. The gate sat open and Cloud pushed himself through, thankful that he wouldn't have to go and find a key or break his way in this time. He didn't have an airship handy for another aerial assault.

This place brought up memories. Most of them bad. The dim light that filtered through under the plate made the whole place look a lot more gloomy. Sector 7 was just as run down as he remembered from before the plate dropped, though a lot of their buildings were still incomplete.

It didn't take him long to find the inn. It was one of the more stable looking buildings, oddly clean. He walked inside. "I need to use a phone." He said to the clerk.

"Sorry man, it'll cost ya."

"I need to call my SO." It was a bluff, the people of the slums didn't like Shinra, for good reason. But they also feared SOLDIER. His gambit seems to have paid off. The man behind the counter looked torn, as if he was debating with himself. On one hand, he wanted to charge Cloud more for the use of the phone, on the other, he didn't want to piss off a man with mako eyes.

"Fine. Don't take too long." He gestured to the phone on the wall.

Cloud took the card from his pocket and dialled, still not entirely sure he was doing the right thing.

"I'm ready to talk." He didn't introduce himself – he was sure he wouldn't need to, the Turks had probably had him under observation from the moment he entered the wastes – and he didn't wait for a reply. Tseng would know where to find him.

\- - - –

The bar wasn't 7th Heaven, but it would do. Apparently 7th Heaven didn't exist yet, or at least, it wasn't finished and named. This one was a lot grubbier and it seemed to attract less than desirable clientele, but Cloud wasn't worried. He knew that being here would make Tseng uncomfortable, and that was well worth his own mild discomfort.

Tseng didn't take long to arrive. Less than half an hour from Cloud's call. He quickly found Cloud and sat beside him. "I'm glad you called." He said.

Cloud didn't comment, only sipped his drink as he regarded Tseng. He knew that there would be more Turks lurking around, if not in the bar, they'd be close enough to assist Tseng if he needed it. Not that Cloud intended on threatening the man. He idly wondered how many of them he would be able to recognise.

"I assume that you're willing to join Shinra." Tseng continued when it was apparent that Cloud wasn't going to answer his greeting.

"I'm considering it." As always, Cloud had to carefully pick his words. Unlike most people, Tseng could read between the lines. "But I do have conditions."

Tseng lifted an eyebrow, gesturing for Cloud to continue.

"I want to join SOLDIER. But I will decide which scientists I work with. I've heard of Hojo and want nothing to do with him. If he comes anywhere near me, I cannot guarantee his safety." That was an understatement. Cloud had no issue with killing Hojo (again), and wouldn't hesitate if he felt the need. Fighting his way out of Shinra wouldn't be easy, but he'd done it before. This time he wouldn't have his friends to back him up though.

Tseng considered his words for a moment before giving a small nod. "I'm sure we can accommodate that." He didn't react to Cloud's thinly veiled threat towards Hojo, and while Cloud could see the curiosity and suspicion burning behind his eyes, he also didn't question it. Yet. Cloud knew that those questions would come later. After the Turks had looked into his background. "Your name?"

Which also brought up another problem. Cloud had been thirteen at this point in time. He hadn't yet left for Shinra, but he would soon. Having two Cloud Strife's on record would cause a lot of confusion, so Cloud had decided that he needed to use another name.

Getting used to a new first name would be too difficult to get used to and his slower reaction to the name would make it obvious that it was an alias. A new surname would have the same problem, but not many people used their last name on a regular basis, so it wouldn't be too suspicious if it took him a while to get used to it. He would keep his first name, and change his last.

So he just needed a new surname. He needed something similar enough to his own name that he could grow used to it quickly enough. He was nearly thirty, learning to answer to a new name would be difficult. His name was already ridiculous enough, so an equally ridiculous name seemed fitting.

"Cloud Storm."

He sighed at Tseng's flash of amusement but otherwise ignored it. His drink was mostly finished now, so he sucked down the rest of it. "Have we got a deal? Because I could walk out of here right now and make sure you never find me." Cloud had become quite good at avoiding Turks, and those ones had known him. If he needed to, Cloud knew a large number of places that the Turks would never find him. The most secure was the Forgotten Capital, but Cloud wasn't sure he was ready to go back there yet. Lucrecia's cave was also a possible safe location. Or he could just go and hang out with Vincent for an eternity. Or at least, until he died of old age. Sleeping for thirty years was almost appealing at this point. At least then he wouldn't have to deal with the Turks.

– – – – – – –

Tseng had been right. This time around, the pre-SOLDIER exams weren't at all difficult. The 'field' exam had been laughable. He'd been pitted against Kalm Fangs. Even Zack had been able to take those down by the age of three. When his skill had become obvious, the examiners had sent a whole pack at him personally. He didn't even break a sweat.

Next came the cognitive exam. They needed to test that he could follow instructions and observe his surroundings. He was put into a team of four troops – none of them could have been older than fifteen and Cloud felt ridiculously old – and made to work as a team. Each of them had an opportunity to lead the squad. The other three had stuttered and been unsure, but when it came to Cloud, he was confident and precise. He'd led people into battle before – a battle with much higher stakes – he knew what he was doing and it showed.

Lastly, there was the physical exam. This one was in two parts. An examination to find baseline vital signs and screen for possible weaknesses. The second part was the part that had Cloud nervous. They would be injected with a highly diluted mako solution to test the body's reaction and ensure that the SOLDIER serum would take.

It was very unlikely that Cloud would fail that, given his habit of falling into the lifestream and general exposure to mako both natural and not, but he had never exactly been _fond_ of having the stuff shoved into his veins.

And it was for good reason. Exposure to mako would make the average person ill – the more mako the worse they would feel – but Cloud had been one of the few with very little resistance to the stuff. The first time he'd tried out for SOLDIER, his body had all but shut down. His body had been wracked with shivers strong enough to trigger seizures, his entire body had ached, his mind had screamed at him, his brain feeling like it was imploding while explosions happened from almost all his orifices.

The first time he'd been exposed to natural Mako, he'd fallen into a pool. He'd been comatose for a while and didn't remember much about what happened before Tifa had managed to bring him back. It still wasn't something he wanted to repeat.

The more recent exposures had been when he travelled through time.

Who knew what would happen this time. Cloud couldn't help his anxiety as a faceless doctor (not one he remembered) pressed the needle into his arm. He flinched and concentrated on his breathing. This brought back memories that he would have been happier without. When the needle was removed, Cloud tensed. Waiting. The side effects of mako exposure were almost immediate.

Nothing happened. Cloud frowned and looked down at his arm. The mark from the needle had already healed and he could feel the mako making its way through his system, but there was no illness. No aches or pains. No nausea or headaches. Nothing.

Apparently this was not an expected outcome. The doctor was watching him, monitoring his reaction. He'd already been on edge – it wasn't exactly expected that someone entering the SOLDIER program would already have mako eyes. Luckily, they hadn't asked about them. Probably on Tseng's order.

"Do you feel anything?" The doctor asked and Cloud shook his head.

"No. It's just warm." It wasn't even burning like it should have been.

"That's odd." The doctor pulled out a chart and read through it before reaching for more equipment. He took Cloud's vitals again, frowning even further. "Not even a fever." He muttered to himself. "Was it a dud batch?" He turned back to Cloud. "I'll be back."

He wasn't gone for long, and when he returned, he had a few vials with him. "I'm going to try to give you another dose." He said, "To make sure that it wasn't a tainted sample. I'll also need some blood work done."

Cloud held out his arm. He hated needles, but this was a means to an end. He'd put up with worse, and as long as Hojo didn't come anywhere near him, Cloud could handle a few needles.

The test was repeated and Cloud again felt very little. Just a warm surge in his arm as the mako met his circulatory system, the site of the injection itched a little. This left the doctor incredibly confused, but he took his blood samples and left. Cloud was dismissed and shown to a place he could wait.

He situated himself in the back of the room, leaning against the wall to observe the other twenty candidates. From his position, he could keep an eye on the exits and the people in the room. It was an old habit, one he hadn't needed to fall into for a long while, but one he was glad he hadn't lost. He was in enemy territory now and he needed to stay alert. Especially as his body was still adjusting to being so active again.

They were left in the room for a little over an hour, the other candidates were getting restless and nervous. Their chatter had quieted down quickly and now most of them were sitting in the provided chairs, sending anxious looks to the doors.

When they finally opened, the other candidates shot to their feet, instantly at attention. Cloud simply pushed himself off the wall, his arms still folded in front of him. The examiner walked through the door with a clipboard. "If your name is called, go through there." He pointed at the only other door.

"Albert. Grieve. Nichols. Storm." Cloud followed the other three through the door, making sure to take the rear position and to keep his senses open. He didn't expect an ambush here, now, but he still didn't let his guard down.

The four of them were in a small room. There was a table in the middle and an entire wall made of glass at the far end. The other candidates hesitated then took a seat, some shivering from mild fevers. Cloud once again found a vantage point where he could see the entire room.

After a moment a blonde man walked into the room and sat at the far end of the table. "Congratulations gentlemen." He said, pushing his glasses further onto his nose. "You are now SOLDIER Third Class. I am Lazard Deusericus, Director of SOLDIER. Your uniforms will be waiting in the supply pods. A Second Class will be outside the door. He will give you your orientation. Report back here at 0800. Dismissed."

When the men began to file out, Lazard spoke again. "Storm, if you would remain."

With a nod, Cloud waited until the others had left before giving Lazard his full attention. "Sir." It would take a while for him to get used to calling someone that again. It irked him, and felt wrong, but right now he had to blend in. Infiltrate. Vincent had taught him a thing or two about it, but Cloud had never been a Turk, even in his dreams.

"I have been given some interesting reports on you. According to my sources you have a pre-exposure to Mako. The doctor in charge of your medical assessment also noted that you appeared to have no adverse effects to the preliminary mako injection, nor the SOLDIER serum he gave you after." Cloud's eyes narrowed at that. He'd been led to assume that it was just another dose of the diluted mako. Not mako laced with J-Cells. He didn't appreciate being deceived by that, but he also wasn't surprised. None of the candidates had even been warned about the sterility that came with the injections.

"Sir." That was the polite way of saying 'no comment', while also giving the impression of minor confusion.

"I have discussed this with my collogues and we have decided that you require special attention. I have been informed of the deal that you made with Tseng. While I don't appreciate him making deals on my behalf, I will adhere to it. However, he made you no promises as to your rank. At this point, we'll be keeping an eye on you, perhaps even running a few more tests. The likelihood is that you will make it to First Class faster than most."

He paused here, as if expecting Cloud to speak up. Cloud supposed that most people in SOLDIER would be ecstatic about that idea. Cloud didn't really care. First Class would certainly make things easier for him, it would be a lot easier to get closer to Sephiroth if he were the same official rank.

However, Cloud didn't respond and Lazard continued. "I have assigned a second to shadow you. Officially he will be your mentor, unofficially he will be observing you. He will report to me his opinions as to whether or not you will fit as a second, or even first."

Cloud gave a nod. He was probably going to be watched to make sure he wasn't a threat to the company.

An amused smile flickered on to Lazard's face, "You don't say much do you?" He asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"No sir." Cloud did answer this time, and Lazard chuckled.

There was a buzz at the door. "Ah. This will be your escort." Lazard said, standing. "Come." He called to the person behind the door.

The door opened to reveal a sheepish looking man. Dark hair framed his face and bright blue eyes shone with the mako glow. A gloved hand was rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry director." He said, a sheepish grin on his face, "I got caught up with the new Thirds." The man turned his gaze to Cloud, "So this is the guy everyone's talking about?" He asked.

Cloud was staring. He couldn't help it. His heart was pounding in his chest and something was stuck in his throat. He wasn't breathing, he was trembling. He couldn't think. All he could do was stare at the man before him.

"Hey, you okay? Maybe you did get side effects after all." The man stepped forward, a hand reaching out in a very familiar way, sending a wave of emotion crashing over Cloud.

The planet had a very nasty sense of humour. Why else would his 'mentor' be Zack Fair?

– – – – – – –


	9. A New Friend

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 9 – A New Friend –

It took Cloud a few days to get used to seeing Zack around every day. The man was following his orders to the letter and Cloud barely had any time to himself. Zack would shadow him almost everywhere and had even made a few attempts to clumsily teach Cloud sword work.

Cloud had been a swordsman for almost two decades now. Zack wasn't even two decades old. But still, Cloud indulged him, listening to him at the very least. The only things that Zack were actually teaching Cloud were the internal politics and policies of Shinra. Those were a few of the memories that Cloud had never got back, and they were definitely something he needed to know. He barely remembered anything that had happened pre-Nibelheim.

"Hey Zack," Cloud said quietly, interrupting another one of Zack's babbles. Honestly, he thought his kid was bad for that. Now he remembered just how _much_ Zack would talk. But Cloud wasn't annoyed, not even slightly irritated. He was too busy being happily overwhelmed by Zack's living presence in his life.

"Yeah?" To his credit, Zack was very rarely offended when he was interrupted, it just meant that somebody else had something to say.

"Why don't we spar?" Cloud suggested. He hadn't had a friendly sword fight in over a decade, but it seemed like the best way for Zack to actually see what Cloud was capable of. Maybe then the boy would stop trying to teach him long learned skills.

"Yeah!" Zack bounced on his heals a bit, a massive grin on his face as he dropped into a squat. "That'd be fun! Alright! Let's go!" He threw an arm around Cloud's shoulders and pulled him along the corridor towards the training room.

Cloud had been allowed to keep his sword. Or rather, he had refused to give it up in exchange for the standard issue toothpicks. Apparently he was rather intimidating at times. The fact that they still didn't know the extent of his abilities or enhancements probably helped his intimidation factor. Then again, the would probably be _more_ scared of him if they knew what he was truly capable of.

His body and skills had decayed a little during the last few years. There had been little fighting and although he'd had the odd spar with Tifa, he hadn't really kept up with his sword work. The monsters he'd occasionally faced in the wild weren't much of a challenge. Now he was having to work hard to get himself back into peak physical form.

Though it was possible he'd never again be as good as he was in his early twenties. He was getting older after all. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to have to try. He needed to be able to stand up to and defeat Sephiroth if it came down to it. While he couldn't spar with Sephiroth at this time, Zack had at one point been almost as good. He would have to do for now.

It was also something that Cloud had wanted to do a long time ago. He'd always looked up to Zack, and now... now he had the chance to really get to know him. This time, Cloud wouldn't squander that chance.

The training room was in use when they got there, making Zack groan in frustration. He dropped into another squat and Cloud watched him, wondering if every person named Zack had seemingly boundless energy.

It didn't take long for the training room to become free and Cloud felt himself tense tightly when the doors opened.

Striding through the doors, Sephiroth barely acknowledged the two SOLDIERs waiting. The only sign that he had even noticed them was a small nod towards Zack.

Cloud didn't relax until Sephiroth had disappeared into the elevator and the doors had closed. He let out a slow breath. It was one thing to know that Sephiroth was alive and well in this timeline, and another thing entirely to actually see him. Cloud had barely managed to keep his hands off his sword and the panic at bay.

With shaking hands, Cloud followed Zack into the training room, no longer sure if he wanted to fight Zack, but he definitely could do with the practice.

Cloud would later admit to holding himself back. Zack was no where near as talented as Cloud had remembered. Maybe he'd remembered Zack too fondly, or his memories were tainted by the mild hero worship Cloud had held for him. Or, it could simply be that Zack still had a lot to learn. Zack was... seventeen. Gaia he was young. And once again, Cloud felt himself feeling very old.

The fight wasn't very long, Cloud parrying and returning blows fairly easily, and Zack flailing often. He needed to work on his footwork, his balance and his patience. Cloud found himself giving advice during the fight and correcting Zack's form.

Physical strength didn't really come into the equation. They were more or less matched for that. Where the difference lay was experience. While Zack had probably been using his sword since he was around fourteen – the youngest age that people would be accepted into the Shinra military – Cloud had also been officially training since he was that old. But he'd started back in Nibelheim as soon as he could get out of the house without his mother noticing. He'd probably been around nine or ten at the time.

Which mean that Zack had had three or four years of experience. Where as Cloud had had a little under eighteen. The level of the enemies they had faced was also vastly different. At the height of their power, Shinra used SOLDIER to occasionally fight the AVALANCHE that came along before Barret's incarnation, but they had been mostly sent after monsters.

Cloud had fought the planet's WEAPONS and defeated Sephiroth on no less than three occasions. Along with his team, he'd taken down summons and Jenova. He'd fought monsters of all kinds and destroyed dragons with barely a backwards glance.

Zack, as a Second, probably hadn't fought anything more exciting than a Zu and it showed.

By the end of the fight, Zack was flushed and sweating, his grin growing bigger by the second. Cloud was also sweaty, this having been the most exercise that he'd done in a long time. He put First Tsurugi back in its harness and bent over to catch his breath. "Damn I'm getting old." He muttered in amusement.

"You. Are. Awesome." Zack was staring at Cloud, his glee almost making him vibrate. "How are you so good!?" The bundle of energy all but threw himself at Cloud, pulling back at the last moment and not actually touching him.

"Heh." Cloud found himself laughing lightly, feeling good. "Practice." He answered. "I've been battling for a long time. Just.. not in a while." Feeling better, Cloud straightened up. "Lunch?" He suggested. Technically Zack didn't have to go with Cloud when Cloud was off duty but the boy had been trying very hard to be Cloud's friend and for once, Cloud wasn't shying away from the idea of a new friend.

Cloud had been a little hesitant, deep down still unsure of his worth. It was hard to be around Zack sometimes, it brought up long dulled pain and made it fresh again. But had thought about it. Not only was this a second chance to know his own personal hero – maybe even a chance to save him. But it was also a step towards getting close to Sephiroth.

So Cloud had decided that being Zack's friend wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to happen. Who knows, it could be nice. Cloud hadn't exactly expected that adopting a baby Sephiroth would work well, but it had.

"Yeah!" Still slightly out of breath, Zack threw his arms over Cloud's shoulders again and they walked out. As a youth, Cloud had assumed that Zack throwing his arms around his shoulders like that had been because he was younger and much smaller than Zack. Now he was starting to think that it was juts Zack's way, given the eleven year age gap.

Though Cloud was _still_ shorter than Zack.

"A long time huh? How long?" Zack was full of questions. He was reminding Cloud of his son and Cloud couldn't help but smile.

"Eighteen years total. Though not much in the last five."

They arrived at the cafeteria and joined the ever present food line, the general chatter of the men gathered for lunch washed over Cloud and made him oddly nostalgic for the evening rush of Seventh Heaven. He pushed that down, deciding to concentrate on the here and now instead.

Zack let out a small whistle and rocked on his feet. "Wow." He said, "You've been fighting for longer than Sephiroth!"

Had he? Sephiroth had been involved in the Wutai war when he was a young teenager. Cloud fully believed that he'd been taught how to fight from a very young age. He just shrugged.

"Probably not." He muttered, "A kid can hold a knife at three months, throw them at six and aim at nine. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that Sephiroth's been training since he was a baby."

Again, Zack's eyes widened and he grinned. "You know a _lot_ about swords! How old do kids need to be to properly fight?"

Cloud thought about it for a moment. While he wouldn't have put a sword in his son's hand as early as the boy had found one, his Zack had started training early. "Uh. Three, four maybe?" Or it might have just been his Zack who was different. "I mean, they have to be proficient at walking first so they can learn footwork, and they need to have at least basic co-ordination." He was thinking out loud at this point.

"Well. That wouldn't be very responsible would it?" Zack commented, unintentionally making Cloud feel a little ashamed. He still blamed Yuffie, even if she hadn't supplied the weapon.

"It depends." Cloud muttered, "If you live in a dangerous place, isn't it better that your kid learns how to look after himself?" That had been the line he'd used on himself. Sure, Edge wasn't all that dangerous, but Cloud had been paranoid for long enough to be worried about all possibilities. Then again, it wasn't like he'd had much of a choice.

They got to the front of the queue and Zack thought about it. He was distracted for a few minute while they piled food on their plates and found a place to sit.

"How old are you, anyway?" Zack asked between rapid mouthfuls.

Cloud gave a start at that. He was somewhat used to being slightly famous. Most people either knew how old he was, or were too afraid to ask. It had been a long time since he'd been asked that. "Twenty-Eight."

He expected Zack's wide eyes again, he seemed to be surprised at everything Cloud had said lately, but instead Zack gave him a considering look.

"I guess something must've happened to you." He said quietly, "Most people don't just up and join the military at twenty-eight without something happening first." He sounded sad and his eyes were filled with something Cloud couldn't identify. Was it pity? He couldn't help but turn away from that look. He didn't respond to Zack's words and they ate in silence for a while.

"Well!" Zack's loud word made Cloud jump a little and turn his attention back to his new (old) friend with a puzzled look. "We'll just have to make sure that nothing else bad happens to you again!" he proclaimed. A soft smile formed on Cloud's face at Zack's enthusiastic optimism.

"Okay." He would indulge Zack for a while. It was a nice thought, one that Cloud desperately wished he could believe.

– – – – –

Zack's words had stayed with Cloud, even after he returned to his room. As a Third Class, he had his own room, for which he was grateful. He didn't think he could handle the close quarters that he'd been forced into as an infantryman. At least this way, he still had some privacy.

Peeling off his blue uniform, he threw it in a corner. For so long he had wanted to be in SOLDIER, dreamed of wearing that uniform, but now.. Now he'd grown up. The uniform that once symbolised the power to protect his friends, now symbolised all that was wrong in the world. The greed that had almost destroyed the planet, the corruption and pure evil that had endorsed experimentation on humans, on _children_.

With a sigh, Cloud threw himself on his bed, an arm thrown over his eyes as he tried to force himself to relax. He'd been at Shinra for around a week, and now knew exactly when he was.

Today was the 21st of January.

Two tears rolled down his cheeks as he felt a strong longing to hold his son. To celebrate his birthday, watch the boy open the mountain of gifts that AVALANCHE had always rained down on him, to see the joy on his face when surrounded by their friends. To take their traditional trip to the church where Zack would insist on 'showing' Aerith his favourite gifts of the day, his cat like eyes brightening with what was most likely an actual response.

Zack's final words to him rang in his ears. How could Cloud have missed it? Zack had been listening since he was a baby, but Cloud had never even considered that he could actually _hear_ her. That she would sing to him, and comfort him. Zack's first words should have told him.

He remembered that day. It had been an ordinary day, and Zack had just suddenly answered one of his questions with a single word. 'Song'.

Had his son really been communicating with his dead friend? The adult Sephiroth had never shown any inclination towards hearing anyone from the lifestream – at least not as far as Cloud had known – so why would his genetic identical be able to do so?

Not that it mattered. There wasn't much Cloud could do with that information anyway. Until he finished his mission and got sent back, he wouldn't be able to see his son anyway.

And _Gaia_ did he miss him. He'd never been away from him for longer than a few hours at a time before and now his heart was aching and his arms wanted nothing more than to hold his boy. Those arms curled around his pillow as Cloud lay on his side, allowing himself to just wallow in his misery.

Zack had been right. Something bad _had_ happened. To Cloud, it was worse than the four years of torture he'd been subjected to. Worse than Meteorfall. He felt a little guilty to realise that he missed Zack more than he'd missed the older Zack or even Aerith. Zack wasn't dead. He was still alive, and Cloud knew for sure that his friends would keep him safe, that his boy would be looked after. There was no doubt in Cloud's mind that his team would be able to protect him until their dying breaths.

So then why did this hurt so much? There was a very good chance that Cloud would be reunited with Zack at some point. All he had to do was complete his mission, and the planet would send him back. Right? It had to.

He held on to that hope. It would keep him going. Now he wasn't doing this mission for himself, but for his son. To be with his son. Somehow, that made things easier.

Now all he had to do was figure out what his mission _was._

Taking a deep breath, Cloud wiped away his tears and closed his eyes. "Happy birthday buddy." He said quietly, knowing that his son wouldn't be able to hear him, but hoping that the planet would pass along the message. Even if she didn't, Cloud knew that the boy knew just how much he was loved.

– – – – –

"Hey Cloud!" Cloud didn't jump as Zack's arm was flung over his shoulder, he was somewhat used to it now, having been Zack's 'student' for the last two weeks. He simply let out a sigh and turned his head to his friend.

"Good morning Zack." He said with strained patience. At least having raised a toddler, Cloud was used to exuberance and extra energy. He remembered with a shudder the time that Yuffie had given his son a ridiculous amount of sugar. Even then, his two year old hadn't had as much energy as Zack.

"So..." Zack's voice was proud and teasing, "I did something awesome."

Why did Cloud have the feeling that whatever Zack did wasn't actually all that awesome? "What did you do?" He asked slowly, a little nervous.

A mischievous smile spread across Zack's face and Cloud regarded him carefully. "I set up a spar for you." Okay... Cloud wasn't sure why Zack would do that, or why he would feel that it was awesome, but then Zack continued. "With Sephiroth!"

Cloud froze, causing Zack to stumble since his arm was still around Cloud's shoulder. He let go and turned to look at Cloud with confusion.

Cloud didn't notice. He was concentrating too much on not panicking. He focused on his breathing and reminded himself that this was a _good_ thing. He wanted to get close to Sephiroth. He wanted to be able to complete his mission, whichever way it was supposed to go. He _needed_ to have access to the man. And there was no way that he could escape Sephiroth's attention if he beat him in a duel.

But it was still a surprise. "You did what?" He asked Zack, blinking his eyes to help him focus on his friend, who's face as slowly falling from ecstatic to confused and a little down.

"I thought you'd like to." He said, "You seemed to really like sparing with me, but I'm nowhere near as good as you. I thought you might want to fight someone that'd be a challenge..."

Closing his eyes, Cloud let out a slow breath, his hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Alright." He could see how Zack would have legitimately thought this was a good idea. And it really was kind of sweet.

And not an entirely bad idea.

"Okay. When and where?" He asked, lifting his face from his hand. This would be interesting.

– – – – – –

The duel had been set up on the external training grounds above the plate, a wide area with fake grass surrounded by concrete. Apparently Shinra had decided that it needed something green and Cloud had no doubt that they'd been unable to grow real grass. Aerith was the only one who'd ever managed to successfully grow anything in Midgar.

Word had quickly got around that Sephiroth had agreed to spar with a new Third and they had quite an audience. Cloud hadn't been expecting that and didn't like it one bit. He needed to use this fight to prove himself worth Sephiroth's time, but he didn't particularly like the idea of being famous again.

The crowds faded from his mind and attention when Sephiroth stepped on to the artificial field. He walked calmly towards Cloud and regarded him for a moment and Cloud briefly wondered what Zack had said to him to get him to agree with this.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed as Cloud took took a ready stance, First Tsurugi in his hands. For the first time, Cloud wasn't afraid of fighting Sephiroth. The man before him wasn't the same man that had called down a meteor to destroy his world. He wasn't the madman that had thrown the buildings of a ruined city at him.

This was a sane man, a man who regarded him with curiosity not with hate or malice. And Gaia he was so _young_. Cloud hadn't even thought about the fact that he would be older than Sephiroth now. The man had only been twenty-five during the Nibelheim incident. And that wasn't going to happen for a little under two more years. Which made Sephiroth only twenty-three. And he actually looked like it.

Still. Cloud wasn't about to underestimate the man. He knew just how powerful he was even now.

Sephiroth took his place, and Cloud gave in to an old habit, holding his sword against his forehead in a salute before retaking his ready position. He saw Sephiroth's eye widen briefly at that move but decided to question it later.

They stood there for a short while, both seemingly waiting for the other to move, and neither of them said anything. That was another new one for Cloud. Every other time he'd fought Sephiroth, he'd had to endure the man's monologue first. But this time, Sephiroth was silent, his eyes trained on Cloud.

After a few more minutes, Cloud feigned a step forward, prompting Sephiroth to change his stance slightly, expecting a rushed attack. Cloud held back for a moment longer before giving a burst of speed.

He didn't move towards Sephiroth, deciding instead to move vertically – straight up. He looked down to see a puzzled look on the man's face, just as he jumped to join him. Perfect. Cloud waited until the right moment, drawing on his knowledge of Sephiroth's fighting style before striking. Instead of the downward blow that the Silver General was expecting, he shifted his weight to the side and controlled his fall, his blade aiming at the man's exposed left side.

The block he was expecting came, Masamune moving swiftly through the air and Sephiroth twisting to face him. "I see now." The younger man said, bringing his legs up to kick Cloud away.

The move was unexpected. In all of their previous fights, Sephiroth had never used any form of hand to hand, deciding instead to rely on the reach and speed of his sword. Cloud came tumbling down and hit the ground hard, barely managing to get his feet under him. It took him too long to regain his balance, and Sephiroth had pushed that advantage, landing gently before Cloud. When Cloud raised his weapon it was to block a strike aimed at his left shoulder.

Why did Sephiroth always go for that shoulder? Maybe he could ask him one day. Now was not the time to get distracted. Pushing blade against blade, Cloud stepped in, closing the distance between them. He had a much shorter reach and wanted to use every advantage he could get. With a final push, he disengaged and swung.

Metal clashed against metal as they exchanged blows in a dance of movement. Cloud would close, Sephiroth would move back. They would swing and block, neither managing to land a blow for most of the fight. Cloud was quickly wearing out, his lack of activity over the last five years catching up with him and he made a mistake.

It was a small mistake, a fraction of an inch too far left, but it gave Sephiroth the opening that he needed and finally, blood was spilt. A small cut on Cloud's left shoulder bled lightly and Cloud had to begrudgingly marvel at Sephiroth's ability to pull such an impressive blow. "Yield." He called.

That had gone one long enough to prove himself. He was sure of it. While he hadn't managed to defeat Sephiroth, that had never really been his intention. But he was quite disappointed in himself. Had he really fallen so out of shape that he hadn't been _able_ to defeat him?

They both sheathed their weapons and Sephiroth took a step forward, offering his hand to Cloud. "Impressive." He said, not in the least sarcastic or belittling. In fact, he seemed somewhat surprised. Cloud took the hand and looked up at the man he had fought with.

And saw the eyes of his son looking back at him.

Oh. That was why.


	10. A New Mission

To the Morrow for the Past

Chapter 10 – A New Mission –

Cloud had a conundrum. There was a very real possibility that Cloud would have to kill Sephiroth. Without knowing for sure what his mission from the planet was, he'd assumed that it had something to do with Sephiroth. It had _always_ had to do with Sephiroth. What he didn't know was if he was supposed to kill Sephiroth before he went insane, or if he was supposed to save Sephiroth from ever becoming insane in the first place.

But Sephiroth had his son's face. He was, at least physically, the man that his son was going to grow into. Cloud wasn't entirely sure that he _could_ kill him. His skill was enough, he knew that for sure. If it came down to it, he could physically defeat Sephiroth. He'd done it before – when Sephiroth's strength and speed had been further enhanced by his relationship with Jenova. But mentally... Cloud knew he wouldn't be able to do it and if he somehow _did_ manage it, it would very likely destroy whatever sanity he had left. And he had no doubt that he would blame the planet and then things could go very bad. He knew where to find Black Materia after all.

Which meant that now he knew what he had to do. He had to make sure that it never came down to it. He had to save Sephiroth. Again. He would stop the man from becoming insane. He just didn't know _how_. Simply telling him the truth about his origins wouldn't work – Sephiroth had no reason to believe him – and it wasn't feasible for Cloud to either prevent Sephiroth from going to Nibelheim or for him to disappear long enough to destroy Jenova first.

However he did it, he would have to do it quickly. Nibelheim was a little under two years away, and that was his cut off. If he hadn't saved Sephiroth by that time, he would have to find some other way of stopping him.

At least he'd made steps towards getting close to the man. Their spar had been hot gossip around Shinra, and Zack had gleefully shown him the explosion within Sephiroth's fan club – he'd even managed to get Cloud to join – and now everybody was asking who the new blonde warrior was. Maybe he should have worn his helmet for the fight...

With a sigh, Cloud rolled out of bed. It was still an hour before he was supposed to head to the science department for his next physical. Luckily he hadn't encountered Hojo yet, but every trip for his routine injections filled him with anxiety. It seemed like Tseng was keeping his word, however. He had no doubt that Hojo was very curious about him. A man who claimed to have survived submersion in unrefined mako and had adapted to the SOLDIER serum with ease was bound to gain his attention.

Thankfully he'd been dosed with the serum before his bloods were taken, so the fact that he had J-Cells had been put down to that. They believed that whatever had allowed his body to survive his fall into a mako pool had allowed him to absorb the J-Cells from that injection a much more rapid pace than anybody expected. The fact that he had far more in his system than he should had been explained away by an over zealous staff member not getting the doses right.

Cloud was glad about that. It stopped too many awkward questions. At least now he was being seen by someone he knew was one of the more trustworthy scientists Shinra had to offer. He'd seen her name a few times in the WRO reports that Reeve had insisted he read.

He was pulling his shoulder guards on when his PHS beeped. With a frown, he picked it up, having no idea who would be calling him at this time in the morning. The ID made him pause. On his screen, in capitalised bold letters read SEPHIROTH.

Hesitating only for a moment, he answered. "Sir?"

"Storm." The man on the other end greeted him, "I have a mission for you. Come to the director's office at once."

"Yes sir." Cloud was sure that Sephiroth outranked the science department in this matter. If not, he would claim ignorance. A physical could wait. It wasn't like he needed the extra boost anyway. From what he could gather, it wasn't actually getting absorbed into his system any more.

Sephiroth hung up without another word and Cloud finished dressing before making his way up to Lazard's office wondering what Sephiroth had needed _him_ to do. He was just a Third, after all.

The ride to the 51st floor wasn't a long one so Cloud didn't have a lot of time to contemplate what the mission could possibly be before the doors opened for him. With purpose, he strode into the office. Lazard was behind his desk and Sephiroth was leaning against a wall. His eyes followed Cloud as he walked in and stopped in front of the desk. He gave a salute and then stood at attention waiting.

"Ah. Thank you for joining us SOLDIER Storm." Director Lazard greeted Cloud. "Sephiroth has requested your assistance on a mission and given the reports that the Turks have given me, I am inclined to agree." He gestured to Sephiroth, obviously intending on allowing Sephiroth to give the mission brief.

The Silver General pushed himself from the wall and regarded Cloud while he spoke in a quiet, even voice. "There have been reports of multiple Midgar Zolom gathering outside the mythril mines. The Chocobo Farm have requested our assistance in eliminating them."

Cloud frowned. "Midgar Zolom are solitary creatures." He said quietly, "Why would they suddenly form a pack?"

"We're not sure." Lazard spoke this time. "Part of your mission is to see what you can find out, if anything, as to why this is happening."

Cloud nodded. "Sir, I'm supposed to have my physical today..."

"I will reschedule it." Lazard assured him. "This takes priority. You were seen to have no trouble defeating a Zolom. You're a perfect fit for this mission."

Cloud nodded. Sephiroth gestured for the elevator and Lazard waved them off. There was something familiar about that man, but Cloud couldn't quite place it. He knew he'd never met the man before his first day here, but he couldn't shake the sense of familiarity. Maybe it was just from Zack's memories.

"We leave immediately." Sephiroth told him as he led them out. "Do you need to gather anything from your residence?"

Mutely, Cloud shook his head. He was quite used to travelling light. Carrying too much on Fenrir was usually a bad idea.

– – – – – –

They had taken an official Shinra truck, but apparently Sephiroth had opted not to take a driver. As they approached the vehicle, Cloud paused. "Sir..." He began, feeling a little stupid. When Sephiroth paused to look at him, Cloud continued. "I get motion sickness. Do you mind if I drive?"

Sephiroth shrugged and climbed into the passenger seat, carefully making sure his hair was out of his way before slamming the door. Cloud double checked his weapon and his materia before jumping in the drivers seat.

His motion sickness was a lot better than it used to be. Instead of hurling his guts up every five minutes, he ended up just feeling mildly nauseous. It still put him in a bad mood, so he preferred to drive when he could – it mitigated the symptoms quite a bit.

Cloud knew the way to the Chocobo Farm very well. He'd made the trip at least once a week for the last handful of years, so he could drive almost on autopilot. This would have given him the opportunity to speak with Sephiroth, if only he could figure out something to say.

They were silent for a while, before Sephiroth spoke up. "You are a puzzle, Storm."

"Uh- Call me Cloud..." He still wasn't used to hearing that surname, and wanted to make sure he would react quickly if his name was called in battle.

"Very well." Sephiroth answered with a casual shrug. Cloud wasn't used to seeing Sephiroth like that and it still surprised him.

"How am I a puzzle?" he asked after a while of silence. He was somewhat curious, but he asked more because it was something to talk about than actually wanting to know.

"Your story has many holes. You're mako levels are much higher than they should be and if you had fallen into a mako pool as you say, then you would have had to absorb enough mako to kill many men."

Cloud shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. If anybody could poke holes in his story it would be Sephiroth.

"I was a kid. I don't remember much about the first time." Most of that was true. He technically _was_ a kid, and he truly _didn't_ remember much about the first time. It wasn't a natural mako pool by any stretch of the imagination, but the tubes _had_ contained mako... The trick to a good lie was to make it as true as possible.

Unfortunately Sephiroth was very observant. "First time? You have fallen into mako more than once?"

Cloud grimaced at his mistake and sighed. He nodded, "Yeah. When I was a kid, and then again when I was in my early twenties. I think all in all I've been exposed to mako three or four times." He shrugged, "I guess I just built up a tolerance."

"Why was this never reported? Surely you would have sought out medical attention?" Sephiroth seemed genuinely astounded and Cloud couldn't help but chuckle. He'd seen that look a few times on a much younger version of that face.

"Nah. My village was tiny. The doctor didn't know what to do with me. They basically just left me in a hospital room until I woke up. It wasn't fun." Again. Mostly the truth. Technically it was completely true. He was just referencing multiple different things as if they were connected.

Quiet fell in the cabin of the truck, both men looking out the front. It was a few minutes before Sephiroth spoke again. "I have never heard of someone surviving such exposure, but I suppose it does explain your eyes."

"My eyes, sir?" Wouldn't simply being in SOLDIER explain his eyes? He'd been in SOLDIER for a month now, receiving his weekly doses of the serum. Sephiroth hadn't met Cloud for two weeks from him starting, so his eyes would have already been explained.

"Yes. They're much brighter than they should be."

Cloud frowned. What did that even mean? He hadn't noticed any discernible difference between the brightness of his eyes and those of his fellow Thirds. "Sir?"

Sephiroth let out a chuckle and just shook his head. "Never mind."

It was still incredibly strange to see Sephiroth like this. So... human. He hadn't heard a single word of malice from the man yet, and he was having an honest to god conversation with him.

Idly he wondered if his favourite colour was still pink.

– – – – –

The rest of the trip was mostly quiet. Neither man was really one for small talk, which made starting a conversation somewhat difficult. That was fine with Cloud, however. His mind was still churning over the mission. Midgar Zolom were almost never seen together – it was very rare to see more than one out of the mines at a time. Yet they were grouping and acting hostile. There had to be some reason.

He vaguely remembered Reeve excitedly babbling about something his scientists had discovered a few years ago, and he struggled to remember what it was, or if was even relevant. Zack had been teething at the time, so he hadn't really been paying attention to much of what his friends were saying. He had been exhausted. Still.. He knew there was something...

"Oh!" His exclamation surprised both of them and caused Sephiroth to actually jump slightly. "Mating!" He'd remembered what Reeve had said. His team had been studying the local monsters and had found evidence of a mating cycle of the Midgar Zolom.

Sephiroth looked at him and raised an eyebrow waiting for him to continue, so Cloud did. "The Zolom has a ten year mating cycle." He said, "I don't know much about it, but that's probably why they're gathering."

Sephiroth regarded him for a moment. "That would make sense. Where did you get this information?"

Cloud shrugged. He couldn't exactly tell Sephiroth that he'd got it during their last mating cycle, ten years from now. "I had strange friends." he answered simply and Sephiroth let the question drop. "We'll probably still need to look around, see if we can find proof, but I'm pretty sure that's why they're massing."

– – – – – –

The mission was over quickly. It had actually taken them longer to get to their destination than it had to dispatch the serpents. Between the two of them, it was an easy job. Either one of them on their own might have had a little trouble, but for some reason they were able to cover each other almost instinctively.

It felt weird to be on the same side as an adult Sephiroth, but it wasn't a bad weird. For some reason, it felt like this was how it was supposed to be. It felt _right_. They hadn't needed to speak to communicate, they seemed to simply _know_ what the other was going to do and where they were. They were completely in sync. It was exhilarating and oddly terrifying.

After killing the creatures, they had headed inside the mines to make sure that there were no more in hiding that could come out to terrorise the Chocobo Farm after they left. While inside, they came across a mako pool.

"It's beautiful." That wasn't a sentiment Cloud had ever expected to hear from Sephiroth. He turned to look at him for a moment before turning back to the glowing liquid.

"Yeah." He agreed. They stood, staring at the pool for a moment, which was apparently all the distraction needed. From behind them came a guttural cry and before Cloud could turn around, he felt the world under him shift. A long tail had swept under his feet and he flailed to regain his balance, failing completely and landing in the shallow pool. With a grimace, he looked up at where the sound had come from and was able to watch the end of a fight between Sephiroth and what appeared to be a baby Zolom. When the danger had passed, he looked down at the green liquid he was sat in.

He'd half expected to feel the burning normally associated with mako exposure, but instead he felt a tickle making his legs itch. That was relatively mild, Cloud reflected as he got to his feet. Something behind him caught the light and he frowned, turning to reach it. Ah. Materia. Natural stuff too. He took it into his hand and poured a small amount of power into it. Not enough to cast it, but enough to know what it was.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth sounded nervous but Cloud just lifted his other hand to quieten the man while he concentrated.

Ah. It was a Restore materia. A strong one at that. Opening his eyes, he pocketed it and then returned to the edge of the pool to a wide eyed Sephiroth.

"Sir?" He asked, tilting his head to one side. "Are you alright?"

"Am I... Cloud, you just fell into a pool of mako. I should be the one asking that question." Sephiroth pointed out, eyeing him in concern as if afraid he would pass out. Cloud grimaced and looked down to his soaked trousers. The itch was intensifying, but it wasn't something he couldn't ignore. Instead of commenting, he pulled the materia from his pocket and showed it to Sephiroth.

"It wasn't all a waste. I found this. Natural materia is of a much better quality than manufactured." He told him. He shrugged and re-pocketed the small orb, deciding to add it to his bracer later. He would level it up. A mastered restore materia could be very useful, not to mention very valuable if he ever needed quick money.

"You're not at all affected by the mako?" Sephiroth asked, voice doubtful. He was still tense and Cloud wondered if he was readying himself to catch Cloud. The idea made him chuckle.

"No." Cloud shrugged, "Aside from being rather itchy," He muttered, absently rubbing one leg against the other to try to relieve the itch, "But I suppose that'll go away eventually." Sephiroth didn't look convinced and Cloud rolled his eyes. "Don't we have a mission to get back to?"

– – – – – –

The rest of the mission passed without incident. They had found newly hatched eggs, proof of Cloud's mating theory. They collected a few shells to take back with them and then left the caves. Cloud's legs felt like they had tiny insects crawling all over them and he couldn't stop scratching, even when he tried. Apparently it had been concerning Sephiroth enough for the man to take action. He found a small stream running down to a pool at the base of the mountain and pushed Cloud in.

More like threw him in, but once the cold water hit his burning legs, any complaint Cloud had had had disappeared in a relieved groan. He found himself sitting down to let the water run over every itch he had. Rinsing off the residual mako made him feel better.

"Hey," He caught Sephiroth's attention. "Can we maybe not put the mako thing in the report?" He asked quietly.

Sephiroth regarded him for a moment. "There may be future consequences of your little... swim. It would be prudent to include the incident in your file in case something comes of it."

Cloud shook his head and let out a chuckle. "Mako makes me itchy." He said, "If there was going to be any other effects, we would've seen them by now. This isn't my first time exposed to Mako. I'll be fine. I'd just rather not end up caught up in Hojo's curiosity." Now that he thought about it, this was probably this sixth time he'd been exposed, not counting the tiny amounts in the pre-SOLDIER solution.

After a moment of contemplation, Sephiroth nodded. "Very well." Not wanting to be the source of Hojo's curiosity was something that Cloud knew Sephiroth understood well. "However, if it becomes relevant at a later date, I will tell whomever requires the information. Until then, we can... keep it off the record."

"Thanks."

– – – – – –

Cloud felt a lot better after his impromptu bath. His trousers were still a little sticky in places, but were no longer stuck to his skin with mako. They returned to the company vehicle and Cloud hesitated. "Sir..."

He'd been asking Sephiroth a lot of favours today, and he was still just a Third, so he was a little hesitant to ask anything more of him but...

"We used to- I used to have a tradition..." He said quietly, correcting himself half way through. His friends weren't here any more. He didn't have any traditions with them. None of their traditions had technically begun yet. "We'd come here every year and I... I missed this year." He gestured to the Chocobo Farm. Sephiroth glanced towards it but then turned back to Cloud.

"You wish to visit the farm?" He asked and Cloud nodded.

"I was wondering if I could meet you back at the city?" He longed to ride again. It was amazing how quickly you could get used to doing something often, and how much you could miss it when it stopped.

Sephiroth hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "I have orders not to leave you alone." He admitted, "There is some worry over your history."

"Yeah," Cloud said bitterly, somehow managing to keep his irritation mostly contained. "They made Zack shadow me." At least Lazard was honest about it.

"However, it is getting late." Sephiroth continued, opening the door to their vehicle. "It is well within the mission perimeters to camp for the evening and return tomorrow." He gestured for Cloud to get into the truck. "I don't believe it matters to them if we camp here or closer to the ranch."

Was Sephiroth offering him a compromise? Once again the Silver General was surprising Cloud, though he should have probably been used to it by now. With a small smile of gratitude, Cloud got into the drivers seat and headed towards the ranch. He would be able to see the Chocobo Farm after all.

– – – – –

They camped not far from the Farm. Cloud could hear the chocobos in the distance. He had offered to take the first watch, and waited until he was sure that Sephiroth was asleep before allowing himself to dwell on the past (future?). He allowed himself to remember bringing Zack here, the joy on the young boy's face as he challenged Cloud to a race. The petulance and irritation when he'd realised that Cloud had _let_ him win the race.

It had been too long since he'd last seen his boy. An ache was growing in his heart, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it right now. He had to complete his mission before he could go home.

It wasn't just Zack that he missed. He'd grown so used to being in Tifa's company, to Marlene and Denzel rushing home after school to spend time with him and Zack. He was missed the random visits of his team. He even missed scolding Yuffie for giving his kid yet another weapon or sugary treat.

Rising his face to the stars, Cloud took a breath, watching the twinkling above as he let his memories wash over him.

– – – – – –

 _Zack had been three the first time that it had happened. The boy had been having one of his rare tantrums, complete with stamping of his feet and screaming. Cloud's usual strategy of just walk away hadn't worked this time. Ordinarily Zack would quickly calm down, realising that his actions weren't getting him the reaction he wanted, but this time... This time he just screamed louder._

 _Cloud had made it to the doorway of the bar before sighing and closing his eyes, calming himself down. "Zack." He spoke in his normal voice, knowing that the boy could hear him over his own screams. "If you don't settle down and behave, I won't take you to the church today."_

 _That did the trick. The awful wailing stopped almost instantly. Zack stood there, his arms folded over his chest and his bottom lip trembling as he glared at Cloud._

" _Now." Cloud kept his voice quiet and his tone reassuring. "Tell me what's wrong, and I might be able to help." He walked over to Zack and knelt before him, gently wiping away the tears on the boy's cheeks._

" _I wanna fight." He'd told Cloud._

" _When you're bigger." They'd had this conversation before. Zack was only three, and Cloud wasn't comfortable with him handling weapons yet. Not even the practice ones Yuffie had bought. "I promise, when you're big enough, I'll teach you."_

" _NO!" Zack stomped his foot, his arm flailing towards the ground. "NOW! NOW! NOW!"_

 _Cloud rolled his eyes and was about to stand up to walk away again when something caught his attention. Around Zack's left arm a dark wisp of smoke was coiling. "Zack..." Cloud had no idea what it was, but it frightened him. It didn't look good or safe. But before he could do anything about it, Zack flailed his arm again and the smoke disappeared._

 _Leaving behind the hilt of a weapon. Cloud's eyes widened and he looked down at it. "Zack." He said slowly, noticing the boy's wide eyes were also trained on the weapon. It was a scaled down version of the Masamune._

" _Da..." Zack's voice was shaking and he looked up at his dad, "I dunno how I get." He promised pushing the hilt of the blade towards Cloud for him to take. Cloud was more than happy to oblige, but the moment Zack's hands let go of the weapon, it disappeared in another wisp of smoke._

 _It had taken Zack about a month to learn how to summon it on command and another month for it to stop randomly appearing when Zack was upset._

 _Not really having much of a choice any more, Cloud taught his son the proper way to use a sword._

– – – – – –

"It's my turn for watch."

Cloud jumped slightly startled by Sephiroth's voice. He nodded but didn't move. The stars had moved in their position while he hadn't been paying attention. It was a very good thing that they hadn't been attacked while he'd been spaced out.

They sat in silence for a long time, both watching the stars. You couldn't see the stars in Midgar – there was too much light pollution for that to be possible, even from the top of the Shinra tower – but here in the middle of nowhere the sky was wide and bright.

"One day," Sephiroth eventually spoke, his voice quiet in the night, "You will tell me your story."

"My story?" Cloud's gaze moved from the stars to look at Sephiroth. The other man continued watching the stars as Cloud watched him.

Sephiroth nodded, "You have fallen into mako many times yet live, you are able to keep up with me in battle, possibly even defeat me. I have never met anybody else who could do either of those."

Silence fell again for a moment as Cloud thought on Sephiroth's words. "That's... something not even my friends know." Friend. At this point in time, Cloud only had one. But the sentiment was the same.

"Then I will just have to become a better friend." The words were said with such ease, and Cloud again turned his attention to Sephiroth. Could it really be that easy? He'd been trying to figure out a way to get close to Sephiroth, and here he was, stating that he should become his friend?

Cloud supposed that he was definitely a puzzle for Sephiroth, and the man had always been very curious, wanting to know everything that happened around him. He shrugged.

"I'm not an easy man to befriend." He warned him and Sephiroth finally turned to look at him, a small smirk on his face.

"Good. I've always liked a challenge."

– – – – – – –


	11. A New Problem

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 11 – A New Problem –

"Hey Cloud!"

Cloud sighed slowed his walking pace. An arm was thrown around his shoulders and he dropped them slightly to accommodate it. "Good morning, Zack." Cloud greeted his energetic friend. This had quickly become their usual morning routine. Cloud would get up, head towards the cafeteria and at some point between his room and the food, Zack would throw his arms around Cloud's shoulder.

While he would grumble about it, Cloud actually liked that he had a routine with this Zack. In his own time line, they'd barely known each other before Nibelheim, and after... well, Cloud hadn't been in much of a state to properly make friends.

"What are you doing today?" Could Zack be any _more_ energetic? It just didn't suit the time of day.

"Coffee."

"Wow, you're really grumpy in the morning. Did you know that?" The arm around his shoulder disappeared as they reached the cafeteria to allow them to walk through the door.

Cloud shot a playful glare at his friend, not answering him until he had a cup of coffee in his hands. "Coffee good." He muttered, breathing in the vapours coming from the cup. Coffee didn't have much of a physical affect on him – not unless he had about five cups of the stuff in rapid succession, but it had become so much of a part of his morning routine when he'd first brought home his own Zack, that his day never started well without it.

Sometimes he missed the recipe Tifa had come up with. She called it 'Super Coffee' and it had actually given him a boost when he drank it. Of his other friends, only Vincent could stomach it – it made everyone else sick. But it had _worked_ on him. Now he wished he'd asked her what it was made from.

He made a note to ask her when his mission was complete.

"Okay," Zack sat beside Cloud, his tray piled high with various food stuffs. "Now you've had some of your coffee, how about we talk about what we're going to do today."

"Isn't it your day off?" Cloud asked, watching in mild disgust as the man shovelled down food.

Zack shrugged, "Yeah bu-"

"Zack, don't talk with your mouth full." The words were out of Cloud's mouth before he could even think about them. He'd said those words often enough back home that they were almost automatic.

The Zack in front of him flushed slightly and swallowed his food in one gulp, looking a little bashful. "Sorry." He muttered, "But yeah, it's my day off, which means it's your day off too. And my orders are to shadow you. So even though we have days off, I think I'm supposed to still follow you around and stuff. Not sure why. It's not like you couldn't get away if you really wanted to."

That was true. Zack had admitted that Cloud was a lot stronger, faster and more technically skilled than he was, and if he really wanted to, Cloud would have no trouble over powering the younger man and leaving.

"They're paranoid." Cloud could appreciate that. He'd spent most of his life paranoid. If he had come across someone like him in his travels, he'd probably have kept tabs on them too. It was a little irritating, but it didn't get in the way of what Cloud was here to do. Yet. "Probably _because_ I would have no problem getting away."

"I mean, I could probably just get a whole bunch o' Seconds and Thirds and just... I dunno, _sit_ on you? Or something?"

"I've had buildings thrown at me Zack." Cloud said, "Sitting on me wont do much help."

Damn it. He'd said something he shouldn't have again. Zack was giving him that wide eyed astonished look and Cloud sighed.

"What now, Zack?" He asked, sipping more of his coffee.

"You are so cool. You know that? Who was throwing _buildings_ at _you_?" Once again, Zack was vibrating in his seat. This had been the most unexpected thing in this timeline. He hadn't expected Zack to be so in awe of him. Of all the people in the world that Cloud had looked up to, Zack had seemed the most down to earth and reasonable. He wasn't sure how much that had to do with the things that happened before Nibelheim, and how much of it were his own memories being inconsistent, but he didn't remember Zack ever having been _this_ energised.

Cloud needed more coffee. He shrugged at Zack before standing to pour himself another cup.

By the time he got back to his table, Zack was no longer alone. Sitting beside him with his own mug of steaming liquid was Sephiroth. He was reading a news paper while Zack just stared at him.

"Sir?" Cloud questioned, retaking his chair and sipping at his new drink.

Sephiroth finished what he was reading before putting the paper down. "I'm here to relieve Fair of his baby sitting duty." Sephiroth explained, "It's your day off. Go." He ordered.

Zack hesitated, looking between Sephiroth and Cloud but when Cloud just shrugged, he grinned and all but ran away.

"So you're a babysitter now?" Cloud asked, amusement dripping from his voice.

"Hardly. However the higher ups have decided that you're a risk that needs to be watched." He folded the paper up fully and dropped it on the table, turning his cats eyes to Cloud. "We're wanted in Lazard's office once you have finished your breakfast."

– – – – – –

"Ah. SOLDIER Storm." Lazard greeted Cloud and stood behind his desk. Cloud stood at attention in front of it, and Sephiroth took his usual position leaning against the wall in the corner behind Cloud.

"At ease." Lazard waved a hand at him, "I'm here to congratulate you. Given your success on the Zolom mission, it's been agreed that the rank of Third is below your abilities. Frankly, you would be wasted on anything less than First. However, policy dictates that there is a mandatory minimum time that you must spend at each level before a promotion. That bit of policy hasn't been used in a long while, but it's one we must follow. Congratulations, you have achieved Second Class."

Cloud just blinked at him. He'd only been a member of SOLDIER for a little over a month. Surely that wasn't long enough to qualify him for Second. His skill wasn't in question, but his loyalty and his motivations definitely were.

"Sir? What is the minimum time..?"

"Thirty-six days. Between Third and Second, a further sixty between Second and First." Sephiroth was the one to answer that time and he pushed off from the wall to stand beside Cloud. "I believe I was the last to advance that quickly."

Cloud was surprised. He'd believed that Sephiroth had jumped straight to first. He hadn't realized that the man had spent any time at all in the lower ranks.

"There is the issue of moral." Sephiroth spoke to Lazard this time, "If somebody is rising through the ranks too quickly, it could become a problem for those they leave behind. I believe a showcase of his talent might alleviate that."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Another sparing match." Sephiroth said lightly, "Between the two of us. If Cloud is capable of keeping up with me, then it will show the lower ranks that he has earned his promotion."

Cloud looked at Sephiroth for a moment. To anybody else, his face may have seemed expressionless, but Cloud could see the small twitches that told him what the man was hiding. He was amused, possibly excited? He wanted another match. Cloud could tell that much.

"What do you say, Storm?" Cloud turned his attention back to the Director and shrugged.

"Why not?"

– – – – – – –

His new uniform was somehow itchy. He'd never had that problem in his Third garb. He grumbled slightly as he idly scratched the scar on his chest as he double checked his equipment.

The second spar had been organised properly. There were benches set up for spectators on the field and it seemed like every SOLDIER not on a mission were there. Many of them had their PHS's out, probably to take videos or photographs. Cloud hated being the centre of such attention and really wished he could have worn the helmet that came with his new uniform.

Sephiroth was waiting for him, already stood in the centre of the field when Cloud approached. Zack walked along side Cloud, grinning like a mad man. "You look grumpy, cheer up! You made Second!"

"Isn't it your day off?" Cloud mumbled, fiddling with his uniform again. "Are all Second uniforms this itchy?" It felt like the shirt had been soaked in mako or something. His skin was burning.

Zack gave him a weird look. "No. Mine aren't. You're just nervous. Who wouldn't be, going up against Sephiroth?"

Cloud shook his head and tried to ignore the itching. It was getting harder to do by the second. By the time he reached Sephiroth, he was sure there was something wrong. He stepped close, speaking quietly enough that he was sure only Sephiroth would hear him.

"There's something wrong with my shirt." His voice was grave, letting Sephiroth know that this was important, "I'm itching as bad as I was in the Zolom nest."

Sephiroth's mouth tightened and he nodded, showing Cloud that he'd heard and understood. Cloud resisted the urge to squirm as he wracked his brain, trying to figure out what to do next. He saw Sephiroth's nostrils flair and his eyes narrow.

"You smell like mako." He said and Cloud took a deep breath. It was subtle, but Sephiroth was right. His uniform did smell like mako.

"Do you think it was deliberate?" Cloud asked as they stepped into position. He drew his sword and held it in front of his face, waiting for Sephiroth's reply. They were close enough to each other to converse quietly without anybody overhearing them, but only if they were careful.

"Probably."

There was a whistle from somewhere behind him and the match had officially begun. Cloud tried to push the burning of his torso from his mind and concentrate on the fight, but it wasn't an easy task.

He rushed at Sephiroth, knowing that the man would easily block his sword, "Lets get this over with quickly," He said before pushing off and jumping back. He readied himself as Sephiroth came at him, planting his feet and blocking Masamune with ease. 

"It has to look good." Sephiroth's reply came before Cloud pushed him away. With a nod, he jumped, once again taking the fight vertical.

Cloud battled Sephiroth mostly on autopilot, the burning itch in his chest intensifying with every move until he felt like he was blistering and bleeding every time his shirt came into contact with his skin. The fight seemed to drag on forever, but Cloud knew that it had only been a few minutes when it had all become too much for him. He didn't block a blow on time and found himself plummeting to the ground.

Instead of turning and getting his feet under him like he normally would, he let himself drop, landing in a heap on the ground. The pain of the landing didn't even register to him. All he wanted to do was get out of his uniform and soothe his skin.

Sephiroth landed beside him and knelt down. "Its bad?" He asked and when Cloud nodded he stood again and walked away, calling an end to the match.

Within moments, Zack was by Cloud's side, taking an arm to help him up. "Sephiroth said you needed help." Concern made Zack speak faster and Cloud barely understood him. He nodded and allowed Zack to help him up. "He said not to touch you where your uniform sits?"

Cloud nodded "I need somewhere with running water." He told Zack, eyes scanning the area. Most of the crowd had followed Sephiroth but a handful of people remained. Including the one man that Cloud had never wanted to see again.

Sat in the middle of the back row was Hojo, his ever present smirk aimed at Cloud. "Lets get out of here." Cloud muttered, grateful for Zack's help. He didn't want to think about Hojo right now.

– – – – –

Zack had helped Cloud get to the nearby barracks where they had communal showers. Cloud quickly stripped all his clothing and stepped under a cold spray of water. Almost instantly he felt a lot better.

Zack was fiddling with his phone and politely not looking at Cloud, who didn't actually care that he was naked. Given everything he'd been through, nudity was no longer embarrassing.

"I let Sephiroth know where we are." Zack finally lifted his eyes, carefully looking only at Cloud's face. "He's on his way."

Cloud nodded and concentrated on the cold water. "See if anybody left some soap around." He ordered, "There was definitely mako on that shirt." He could feel it stick to his skin. He didn't understand how he'd had a much stronger reaction to what had to have been a small amount of mako on his shirt than he'd had when he fell into the pool.

A bar of soap was thrust towards him and Cloud took it with a grateful nod, quickly scrubbing at his skin.

"Cloud." Sephiroth's voice came from the entrance of the showers and Cloud could hear his footsteps getting closer. A towel was handed to him and he shut down the water flow, wrapping himself in the warm fluffy towel.

Sephiroth regarded him for a moment, then looked at the uniform that had been thrown on the floor. He picked up the shirt and held it to his nose for a moment. "I don't understand." The shirt was dropped to the floor again, "I've seen you sit in a mako pool and be fine. How could there be enough on your shirt to give you such a reaction?"

"You sat in a mako pool!?"

Both Cloud and Sephiroth ignored Zack for a moment, Sephiroth still looking at Cloud's uniform and Cloud using the towel to dry off. His skin was feeling a lot better now.

"I don't know. But I think I know who was behind it." He retrieved his uniform trousers and sniffed them. They seemed to be clean, and his legs hadn't itched at all. He pulled them on and slung the towel over his shoulder, glad his mako enhancements stopped him from feeling too cold. "I saw Hojo in the stands. He was watching me."

Sephiroth's spine stiffened slightly and his mouth tightened. "I see." He gathered up Cloud's shirt and belts and swiftly left the room.

"You... sat... in a mako pool?" Zack repeated, looking at Cloud like he had two heads.

Cloud shrugged, "I was pushed. Come on. Before someone sees us here and sparks rumours." He followed Sephiroth out of the building to find him standing nearby, casually lighting Cloud's shirt on fire. Cloud could see other people nearby and winced as he caught the bright light of a flash. "Never mind. Looks like we'll get them anyway." He stepped towards Sephiroth, "Sephiroth. You're attracting onlookers."

"Hmm." With a final flick of his wrist, Sephiroth sent a last fireball at the shirt.

"I think it's dead." Cloud muttered. "C'mon." He grabbed Sephiroth's elbow with one hand and Zack's with the other, glad to see that Zack had gathered up Cloud's armour and his sword. "Lets get out of here."

– – – – –

Cloud had known that it wouldn't take too long for Hojo to come after him. Even with his agreement with Tseng, it was only a matter of time. Cloud was unique and brought in to question a lot of what Hojo believed he knew. From his perspective, Cloud would seem like an easier and cheaper way of making more SOLDIER. He was just as fast, strong and agile as Sephiroth but hadn't had to be SOLDIER for it to happen.

Hojo didn't know that Cloud had both S-Cells and J-Cells. He didn't know that Cloud had been classed as a failed experiment. Hojo didn't know that he'd tried to make Cloud into a Sephiroth clone.

To him, Cloud was an enigma, one that he dearly wanted to get a hold of.

"If he comes near me," Cloud said the minute they made it into Sephiroth's office. "I will kill him." It was said as a matter of fact. He didn't want to explain why, but Sephiroth didn't seem to need to ask. Zack, for once, was staying quiet.

The man wasn't an idiot. He knew how to read a room and how to be serious when needed. He just preferred to be happy go lucky so often that people tended to forget about that.

"You think he was the one that poisoned your shirt?" Zack asked. They'd stopped by his quarters along the way to pick up one of his spare shirts that Cloud now wore. It was a little big on him, but it didn't itch. His chest was still raw to the touch, but Cloud could ignore that for now.

He nodded, "Yeah. Part of the conditions I gave the Turks when they recruited me was that I would never be near him." It was pretty much the only condition he'd had. "And I warned them that I would hurt him if he came close."

"That's probably the only reason you haven't been taken by him." Sephiroth admitted. "At this point, nobody really knows your true skill. He's not stupid enough to go up against some unknown without testing first." He leaned over his desk and let out a growl. "That's why he poisoned your shirt. It was a test."

"That would make sense." Cloud sat down in front of the desk, putting his sword down beside him. "I just want to know why I reacted so strongly. It seems a bit much for a first test." But then again, Hojo didn't have regular contact with Cloud, so he would have to do as much as he could with as little as he could.

"What if it wasn't the first." Zack moved to lean against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest and a small frown on his face. "I mean, you said you fell into a mako pool and it wasn't as bad? What if he's done other tests but you just didn't notice it?"

"Like what?"

"Well, apparently yesterday half the men on the Third floor fell sick." Zack told him, "They'd had a mako overdose and it was traced to the coffee in the cafeteria. The Turks are apparently investigating how it got there."

"Shit." Cloud sunk down in his chair and let his head fall back. "Should've stayed in Edge." He muttered to himself, even knowing that it hadn't actually been an option.

"We should get proof." Zack said, "That it was Hojo."

"It wouldn't matter." Cloud muttered. "Shinra will turn a blind eye. Or I'd just disappear." He leaned forward in his seat. "I... know of people that disappeared because of him." He said quietly.

"Is that why you're using an alias?" Cloud straightened up at Sephiroth's question and regarded him cautiously. "I ran a background check." The general explained, "I found nothing. Either you're using an alias, or you don't exist in our system."

"Alias." Cloud confirmed and Sephiroth nodded.

"Man this is messed up." Zack threw himself into the other chair and looked between Sephiroth and Zack. "What do we do now?"

"Nothing." Cloud said earning surprised looks from both of the men in the room. "If we do anything now, we tip him off to the fact that we know, and he'll get less subtle. If he's doing things this way, it means that he doesn't want to take me in if he can get the data he needs otherwise."

"Then what do you suggest?" Sephiroth finally sat in his own seat behind the desk. His elbows rested against it and his hands clasped in front of his face.

"Caution." Cloud said with a shrug. "At this point, it's unlikely that he'll do anything that could seriously harm me. He wants data and I'll give him less information if I'm dead. He'll watch me, try to get a baseline for my abilities and then he'll try to change something and see what that does."

"You want to just let him?" Zack's voice was grave and he was looking distinctly uncomfortable about the idea.

"Pretty much. I've been through worse." He could handle Hojo's little games. And if he couldn't, well then he'd just have to kill the man. It was probably better if he didn't involve the other two in that though. Leaving Shinra wasn't exactly a big thing to him. But Zack and Sephiroth? It would be a big deal for them.

"It is fortunate," Sephiroth said, a small smirk playing on his lips, "That we have been given orders to shadow you."

"That's right! We can look out for you! We have your back. If you start acting all weird or get sick, we can help you and then we can go and kick some scientists ass!"

Cloud couldn't help but chuckle. It was good to see Zack's enthusiasm back.

\- – – – – –


	12. A New Fight

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 12 – A New Fight –

They didn't have to wait long for Hojo to strike again. It took less than a week.

True to their word, both Sephiroth and Zack had stuck by Cloud. It was sweet, he had to admit, but Cloud was getting a little tired of never having a moment to himself. Zack had taken it upon himself to make sure that Cloud was never alone – including at night. He'd invited himself over for "sleep overs" and had slept on a futon in Cloud's small room, taking his duty as protector seriously.

For a man who valued his privacy, it was getting a little too much and Cloud suddenly felt the need to let off some steam. The training room would be a perfect way for Cloud to fight something without risking either himself or his over enthusiastic shadow, so one morning Cloud dragged Zack with him and had him set up a simulation.

After Meteorfall, this sort of technology had been lost and Cloud had never had anything to do with it beforehand, so he had no idea how to set up the parameters. Which was probably one of the reasons that he didn't notice that something had gone wrong right away.

They were supposed to be fighting mid level monsters. Something that would challenge Zack and let Cloud fight by autopilot. There were a few simulated lower level SOLDIERs and monsters that Cloud could destroy with ease and that would pose only a light challenge for Zack when suddenly something new came along.

There was a mighty roar and a loud crash, Cloud finished off the hound he'd been fighting and turned to the source of the noise. Zack had chosen Midgar for the location of the simulation, which made finding the newest threat more difficult. It was coming from behind a building in Loveless Avenue and Cloud didn't hesitate before heading towards it. He needn't have bothered.

The archway above the entrance to the street exploded sending shrapnel and dust into the air. Cloud barely lifted his arms in time to shield his eyes and when the debris had finally stopped falling, he removed his arm to look up at the new enemy.

Deja vu struck him as his eyes locked on to the beast before him. Bahamut Sin stared back at him. Shit. That thing had been hard enough to beat with the help of his friends. What the hell was it doing in this simulation!?

Without thinking, he snagged the back of Zack's uniform, threw him behind him, and took a defensive stance. "Stay back." He ordered. "This thing is strong." He checked his sword, making sure that all the pieces were where they were supposed to be before rushing at the enemy.

It was smaller than the other one, maybe around half the size. Did summons grow? That was a question for another time, right now, he needed to concentrate on the battle ahead. Without his friends to help him, he needed a new strategy.

The beast took to the sky, rearing back and a blast forming in its mouth. There. That was his opportunity. With a leap, he landed on the rubble of the ruined archway and pushed off, launching himself at the creature. He had to use First Tsurugi to redirect a lesser beam attack, sending it flying to his left. This time, he didn't have to worry about collateral damage which made things much easier. The only other person that could get hurt here was Zack, and Cloud could trust him to hold his own while Cloud took care of things in the artificial sky.

He reached the apex of his jump, time seeming to slow down as he flipped in the air, bringing his sword over hid head to land an ineffective blow on Bahamut's head. It didn't do anything more than distract it from gathering energy but Cloud used the momentum to bring him up onto the beasts back. Planting the main blade into the neck, he separated his sword. He used the hand on his main blade to swing him down while he brought the other up, slamming it directly into the summon's open mouth.

Following through with his momentum he let go of the main blade and followed the smaller one into the mouth.

Things were silent for a moment. Nothing moved. Then the top of Bahamut Sin's head exploded from within. Cloud landed on it's back and retrieved his main sword, slotting the smaller piece back into place before jumping back - landing not too far from Zack - in order to watch the creature fall. That had been a _lot_ easier than he'd expected.

"Woah..." Zack moved up to join him, his eyes wide as he stared at the fallen creature.

Once he was sure that it wouldn't get back up, Cloud turned his attention to his sword frowning as he realized that there was no gore clinging to the metal. Of course. This was a simulation. Why would he need to clean his sword. Still, he inspected it for damage. Bahamut's scales had been solid and in reality he should have found new nicks in the blade. There was nothing.

"What was that?" Zack's question caught Cloud's attention.

"A bad memory." He muttered. "It shouldn't have been here." He put his blade on his back. "End the simulation." He ordered and Zack didn't need telling twice.

Midgar dissolved around him and the training room came back into focus. Behind the glass partition, Cloud saw Hojo watching the computer banks with glee.

"It was another one of his tests." He told Zack. "Probably wanting to see my power." He itched to draw his weapon, to run it through Hojo a third time, but he refrained. For now. Instead, he spoke louder, making sure that Hojo would be able to hear him, but also making it seem like he was just talking to Zack.

"If someone wanted to see my abilities, they'd be more than welcome to challenge me." His eyes never left Hojo who was practically bouncing, reading whatever data was showing on the screens.

Right. Cloud had a plan now. He lifted his sword and marched into the observation room, ignoring Zack's squeaks of protest. Bypassing Hojo, he brought his blade down – directly into the computer banks. They sparked and the room fell into darkness for a second before the emergency lighting took effect.

"You weren't invited." He told Hojo as he walked past him, sheathing his sword.

– – – – –

He managed to wait until he and Zack were back in his room before giving in to the rising panic. His limbs were shaking, his heart thumping, something was caught in his throat and he couldn't _breathe_. Suddenly he was too heavy for his legs to hold him and they collapsed under him.

Vaguely he could hear the door close behind them and Zack's cry of shock. The young man was by his side in an instant, his hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Cloud!"

He wanted to reassure the other SOLDIER, to tell him that everything would be fine and that he'd recover, but words just weren't coming out. He struggled against the lump in his throat. He was getting dizzy.

"Cloud man, breathe!" Zack's hands were on both shoulders now, he was knelt in front of him. Cloud lifted his head to look at the SOLDIER, focusing on his eyes. He gulped in a breath. He knew how to do this. He concentrated on slowing his breathing down, taking a breath, holding it and letting it out, making each successive breath longer.

He didn't know how long it took for him to calm down, he just kept up with his breathing, thankful that this time he hadn't had any flashbacks.

"I'm okay." He told Zack with a shaky voice.

Zack sat back on his heals and stared at Cloud for a moment. "You can take down, whatever that beast was, no problem, but seeing Hojo does this to you?" His eyes filled with anger, "Did he do something to you?"

Yes and no. Cloud would never truly be rid of the trauma he'd faced at Hojo's hands, but at the same time, this wasn't the same Hojo. How could he refuse to blame Sephiroth or his son for the things they had done in their future, but still insist on blaming Hojo for his future actions against Cloud?

He shook his head, "Not... him." He muttered. Gaia he was tired. He let out a long breath and raised a hand to his face. "I could do with some water." He told Zack.

In an instant his young friend was on his feet, practically sprinting to the small fridge in the corner of the room. He retrieved a bottle of water and handed it to Cloud.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Happens sometimes." Cloud had repositioned himself to lean against the nearby wall, his sword digging into his back.

"Okay..." Zack didn't sound too convinced, but he sat beside Cloud anyway, "Now we can talk about the real important thing."

Cloud turned his heavy head to regard Zack and Zack's face lit up into a grin. "How many swords are you carrying!?"

This forced a chuckle out of Cloud. He hadn't wanted to use the other pieces of his sword yet. It was a handy thing to have as an ace up his sleeve. It was easy to force his opponents to underestimate him if they believed him to have only one blade. Zack had seen him take out one of the smaller side blades, but that was as far as he'd gone.

"Enough." He said, wanting to keep at least some of it a secret. He laughed again at Zack's look of disappointment and reached out to ruffle the younger man's hair. "I'm allowed to have _some_ secrets, aren't I?" He laughed again at the indignant spluttering that Zack replied with.

– – – – – –

"Zack told me you fell ill."

Cloud groaned. He'd finally managed to get a moment away from everyone, a moment to himself, and Sephiroth had still found him.

"There's a reason I'm sitting in the dark." Cloud pointed out, gesturing to the empty conference room around him. He could feel Sephiroth move through the room to silently sit beside him. Fine. Cloud let out a sigh. "I just wanted a minute."

"Unfortunate for you, your friends care for you." There was movement, and the next Cloud knew, there was a mug of hot liquid pressed into his hands. "From my personal reserve."

Cloud nodded in thanks, taking the coffee and sipping it slowly. He hadn't had coffee in days – not trusting the communal stuff after hearing what Hojo had done.

"You had a panic attack." There was no question. Zack had probably told Sephiroth everything. Cloud didn't respond, instead concentrating on the too sweet coffee. When he didn't speak, Sephiroth continued. "From Zack's description of your reaction, it seems like it's a common occurrence for you." 

"PTSD." Cloud muttered, hating those letters. The doctors in Edge had declared them to him before trying to get him to agree to counselling. He'd refused, of course, preferring to try to work things out by himself. Tifa hadn't been happy about that.

It took him a moment to realise that Sephiroth wasn't only here to check on his well being. Cloud was SOLDIER, after all, under Sephiroth's command. The man needed to know how this would effect Cloud on the field. "Only really a problem when I come across Shinra scientists."

Again, there was silence, a long moment between words. Cloud let it settle over him like a blanket. He'd been expecting long silences to be awkward around Sephiroth, but they were actually comfortable.

"You said you knew of someone that Hojo made disappear."

"Yeah. A few." He didn't want to go into details here. He could give away too much information. He needed Sephiroth to trust him, not to be suspicious. "Hojo used them and discarded them. They were considered missing or killed in action." That had been the official line, right? The one the rest of the world ate up all too eagerly.

More silence. Then, "I'm sorry for your trauma." And Sephiroth left, his words ringing in Cloud's ears. He actually believed him.

It felt very surreal, receiving sympathy and understanding from the man who could one day go on to destroy the world. But Cloud had to remind himself that this Sephiroth was no more that man than his own son was.

– – – – – – –

The dreams came that night. The green weight clawing at his being, surrounding him, suffocating him. The haze through which he could see blocking out almost all colour, leaving him in a sea of green. He tried to call out, but when he opened his mouth, the green invaded him, sliding its way down his throat like a snake heading for its prey. Heavy limbs banged against the glass, willing it to break, to give him reprieve from the overwhelming pressure around him.

Beyond the green, beyond the mist, he could see a man approaching. A short man with greasy long hair and a white lab coat. The look of glee on the man's face filling him with such all consuming dread that he tried to cry out again.

And suddenly the pressure on his arms was tighter, real. His eyes shot open and another cry ripped its way through his throat.

"Hey!" Zack. Zack's voice. Zack would talk to him, try to keep him calm. Zack would save him. Zack would take him home. Zack would-

The man before him let out a muffled yelp as strong arms encircled him, pulling him into a bone crushing embrace. "Cloud?"

"I'm sorry." Cloud was somewhere between sleep and awareness. He held on tighter, tears falling down his face. "I'm sorry." He repeated, "I tried."

Slowly, arms came around him to hold him back. "Cloud?" Zack's bewildered voice broke through to the older man, finally pulling him that last inch away from sleep. "Hey man, it's okay. It was just a dream." Cloud became aware that they were rocking back and forth and that his head was pressed against Zack's chest and his arms had a death grip on the younger SOLDIER.

"Sorry." He muttered, releasing his hold and trying to sit back. Zack held him for a moment longer before letting him go.

"You were screaming." Zack was rubbing his ribs with a wince and Cloud felt another pang of guilt.

"Nightmare." He replied to the man, slowly standing and reaching for his clothes. There was no way that he would be able to get back to sleep now. It had been a long time since his last flashback, but he remembered them well enough. It could be days before he slept again.

Zack followed suit, gathering his clothing and getting dressed. "Good thing I was here then." He said with forced cheerfulnesses. "To help you wake up." His movement was stilted, pained and Cloud grimaced.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, fearing the answer.

"Eh, a little." There was a shrug. "Nothing that wont heal quick enough. So. Breakfast?"

– – – – – – –

"So I think Sephiroth really does want to be your friend," Zack stated over breakfast. It was three o'clock in the morning and the cafeteria was deserted. Cloud still took the seat in the corner where he could see the exits however, his paranoia kicked up a notch after the day before.

"Why's that?"

"Well, he told me to give you this," Zack reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jar. Inside was a fine brown powder. "He asked me if it was 'customary to give friends gifts'."

When Zack handed the jar over, Cloud opened it and sniffed the contents. Coffee. A small smile found its way on to his face as he stood and made his way over to the boiled water jug to prepare some.

"He gave you coffee?" Zack's confusion was apparent.

"Yeah. He said he had some personal reserves that Hojo couldn't get near." The coffee was still too sweet, Cloud much preferred it bitter. There must have been sugar mixed in with the grind or something. "Didn't expect him to give me some though." He savoured it. Usually he would down coffee in one go, but now he was down to a limited supply. At least until he could go shopping for his own.

– – – – – – – –

Round Three had been set up. Sephiroth had decided that since Cloud had been distracted during their last attempt at a spar, a rematch was required. Again, the field had been set up to allow for spectators and Sephiroth was standing in the middle waiting for him.

This time, Cloud had decided to come more prepared. He'd laundered and double checked his uniform before wearing it, and had brought a spare shirt just in case.

It was a rare sunny day on the plate and Cloud looked at the sky as he walked on to the pitch. The sun could be a valuable resource on days like these, he could use it to blind his opponent and create an opening. He saw Sephiroth's face was turned up to the sky as well and realised that the man had had the same thought. He'd have to be prepared for that.

The fight started slowly, neither man moving at first and the crowds were beginning to get impatient. With a smirk, Sephiroth launched himself towards Cloud, slowly enough that Cloud could get out of the way easily. But instead of moving left or right like Sephiroth had expected, Cloud simply jumped over the swing and landed his feet on Masamune's blade.

He couldn't help but return the smirk at Sephiroth's look of surprise, but didn't let it distract him too much. Taking a leaf out of Tifa's fighting book, Cloud arched his back, launching himself into a back flip, feet catching Sephiroth's chin along the way.

Cloud landed in a crouch as Sephiroth stumbled backwards, the blow completely unexpected. It didn't take him long to regain his footing however, and with a dash he jumped into the air between Cloud and the sun.

If Cloud hadn't been expecting that, it probably would have worked. As it was, he simply jumped to meet Sephiroth in the sky, eliminating the threat of looking up at the sun and being blinded.

They were airborne for a while, trading and blocking blows. Cloud had to admit that it was actually kind of fun. He'd never really spared for the sake of sparing before – it had always been in the name of training or keeping his fitness levels up – and it had been so long since any kind of friendly match had given him a challenge. His friends were strong, but the only one of them to have any kinds of enhancements was a marksman. It was difficult to spar against a marksman.

Cloud wasn't paying enough attention to his surroundings and it wasn't until they had both landed on the ground again that he realized that it was steel and not the fake grass that the training field had used. He took less than a second to look around and realized that they were on the side of Shinra Tower.

Fighting back memories, he threw himself back into the fight a moment too late.

Sephiroth had his blade trapped against the steel of the building, Masamune against the hilt and his boot against the tip. Cloud couldn't yank it out without Masamune coming too and from this angle he knew that the blade would end up in his shoulder. He didn't want a repeat of that. The smirk on Sephiroth's face showed that the man had realised the predicament that Cloud had found himself in, and all Cloud wanted to do at that moment was wipe the look off the man's face.

He didn't think about keeping his secret, of his ace in the hole, he acted without thinking. A flick of his finger and wrist and he separated his blade, two daggers coming free. One in each hand he let go of the main blade and moved.

One dagger pressed against Sephiroth's neck, the other against the wrist holding Masamune. Cloud knew that Sephiroth couldn't get out of this without risking damage. In his own time, he would have never bothered with such tactic. That Sephiroth hadn't been afraid of pain and had had next to no self preservation instinct (why would you need one if you wouldn't stay dead?).

This Sephiroth, however, was looking at him with wide, shocked eyes. Cloud moved closer, his body all but pressing Sephiroth into the building. "Don't underestimate your enemy." He told the young man, "Don't believe you've won the battle until your enemy is dead."

"Yield." The word came out in a soft whisper, Sephiroth's eyes never leaving Cloud's face and his hand dropping Masamune.

Cloud held his position for a moment before backing off. He reassembled his weapon swiftly and jumped down the side of the building. Below him, Zack was waving and bouncing, a crowd gathering behind him.

"We couldn't see! Who won!?" Zack asked the moment Cloud's feet hit the ground.

"He did." Sephiroth's voice came from behind Cloud as the man dropped from above. He caught up to Cloud and offered him a hand.

It was only then that Cloud noticed how flushed Sephiroth was, a fine sheen of sweat coated his skin and he was breathing a little faster than normal. In all his fights with Sephiroth, Cloud had never managed to get the man to break a sweat. This just helped prove to Cloud that he was a different man to the one he'd defeated in the past.

Cloud took the hand and shook it.

– – – – – – –


	13. A New Development

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 13 – A New Development –

Sephiroth seemed to be avoiding Cloud. Since coming to Shinra, Cloud had become used to Sephiroth's presence in his life (wasn't that a weird concept?) and was surprised to find that he missed his friend. The man's quiet company was often a welcome relief from Zack's insane level of energy.

Their sparing match had been the last time Cloud had seen Sephiroth, and that had been a week ago. The only reason Cloud could think of to explain Sephiroth's sudden distance was a bruised ego. After being the best at something for so long, to have a virtual stranger best you would probably hurt at least a little.

But enough was enough. Cloud wasn't about to let the work that he'd put in to their friendship go to waste because Sephiroth couldn't handle not being the best any more. So he made his way to Sephiroth's office and let himself in. He didn't bother knocking.

Sephiroth was sat behind his desk, head buried in paperwork. When Cloud entered he looked up and put his pen down. "Cloud." He greeted.

He hadn't thought this all the way through, and now that he was here, Cloud had no idea what to say. He floundered for a moment before taking a seat opposite Sephiroth. He kept eye contact as he did so, "Why are you avoiding me?" It seemed like a good idea to go straight to the point. He knew that Sephiroth would probably appreciate that.

There was a long pause, Sephiroth's cheeks reddening a little at being caught out. He gave a little cough and looked back down to his paperwork. He picked up the pen, but didn't use it, instead he twiddled it in his hand. The man gave off an air of discomfort.

"You seem to have awakened my sexuality." The words were so quiet that Cloud almost missed them. And part of him wished he had.

"I did what now?" He couldn't help the befuddled and surprised tone of his voice and his eyes went a little wide. Did Sephiroth just say what he thought he had? That Cloud had...

"Awakened my sexuality." The words were louder this time, but only a little.

Nope. Definitely what Cloud had heard before. He blinked a few times, trying to wrap his head around this concept and Sephiroth continued speaking, his ears and face deepening in their shade of red.

"I apologise for the distance I have been keeping. I am not entirely sure how to... deal with this." The younger man leaned forward a little, his hair forming a curtain over his face. "I do not expect anything of you. I simply wished to have time to... process these new... feelings."

Oh Gaia this was awkward. For both of them. Cloud was still sitting there, staring at Sephiroth, his mouth agape and his eyes wide. Sephiroth. Had a crush. On Cloud. This was so far down on the list of things that Cloud had expected Sephiroth to say. No. This wasn't even on the list. This was... Completely bat shit crazy.

"I will understand if you wish to distance yourself from me. I have been informed that most men don't appreciate this sort of... _fondness_ from other men. I've been led to believe that it..." Sephiroth shook his head, seemingly unable to finish his sentence.

Was Sephiroth _ashamed_? Who had made him feel like that? That there was something wrong with being attracted to other men? Right. Military. Not exactly known for their fondness of homosexuality.

"Don't." Cloud's words were sharper than he'd intended, and when Sephiroth's head shot up to look at him, he sighed quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Don't ever be ashamed of being attracted to other men." He repeated, his voice softening. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Again, there was silence. Instead of the usual companionship, this one was strangled and awkward. It was kind of reminding Cloud of when he'd helped Denzel get through his first crush. All blushing, awkwardness and -

Cloud looked at Sephiroth again. "Awakened...?" He asked, "You've never been attracted to anybody before." When Sephiroth shook his head, Cloud's hand went back to his nose and he let out a long breath. This was just... awkward.

"This upsets you?" Sephiroth seemed to be picking his words with care, tentatively speaking with a timid voice. Not something Cloud had ever expected from the man. Nor was it anything he ever wanted to hear again.

"No. It... just makes things... a little awkward." He admitted, letting out another slow breath and dropping his hand. He offered Sephiroth a small smile. "I'm not- I'm not in a place that I can..." How did you reject the man that had meant so many things to you in so many different ways and in so many different times.

Twenty years ago, Cloud would have been overjoyed. Ten years ago, Cloud would have been sickened. Now... now he was just confused, not entirely sure what he should be feeling about this new development.

"I'm not expecting anything of you Cloud." Sephiroth said in such a way that Cloud wasn't sure who was comforting who. He shook his head.

So what now? Now he had his answer as to why his new friend was avoiding him, a wholly strange, insane and unexpected answer, but an answer none the less. He just had no idea what to _do_ with said answer. Sephiroth was looking at him like he had all the answers, but Cloud didn't have much more experience than Sephiroth when it came to these sorts of thing.

"Look," He said eventually, "This is... unexpected... and new. But..." He took a breath and let it out slowly, "But we're friends, right?" He asked, giving Sephiroth a sincere smile and tilting his head to the side slightly. "This doesn't change that."

Sephiroth nodded, his face still a deep shade of red. "I will... adapt." He reassured Cloud. "This will not be a problem."

"I know. So no more avoiding me, okay." Cloud had no idea why it had irked him so much in the first place. With this new information, he didn't really want to think about things too deeply right now.

But at least he got close to Sephiroth, right?

– – – – – –

"So!" Zack's arm slung itself around Cloud's shoulders again. He was so used to this now that his steps didn't even falter. He'd been on his way to lunch after speaking to Sephiroth when Zack had ambushed him.

"Hello Zack." Cloud greeted his friend, slipping from under his shoulders to walk through the cafeteria doors.

"Did you ever find out why Sephiroth's been avoiding you?" Of course Zack would ask that. Zack seemed to have a knack for asking questions at awkward times.

With a sigh, Cloud nodded and gathered food onto a tray. He didn't answer right away, he waited until they were seated as far away from anyone as they could be. "He has a crush on me." He said simply, keeping his voice down so they wouldn't be overheard. This didn't seem like the sort of thing that Sephiroth would appreciate ending up on the rumour mill. Cloud knew that he probably couldn't prevent it from happening at all, but at least he could stop it from coming from him.

Zack's face slackened, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. "For real?" He asked, shock and excitement in his voice. "Sephiroth- are you and he-? Because no judgement, I think you guys would be great!"

"No Zack." Cloud said with a sigh. "I can't. Not... not right now." He didn't want to delve into the reasons why. How could you tell your friend that you wouldn't consider a relationship with a man that you had killed three times, adopted once, and were now friends with? That was just... too much to unpack.

Zack's expression changed to that of quiet understanding. "Right." He said softly. "You've got baggage, right?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah."

"But I mean... it's not 'cause he's a guy, right?" Zack asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'm not a hypocrite Zack." Cloud muttered, using his fork to move food around his plate. He could watch his food, and not have to worry about seeing the pitying looks Zack had been sending him.

"Oh." Zack's tone changed to something Cloud couldn't place. "Well. Like I said, no judgement from me. Do you think that he'll stop avoiding you now that you know?"

"I don't know. I hope so." Cloud gave up on food. His stomach was doing weird things and his mind was too jumbled to bother even trying.

"Me too. I mean, I just got a mission that's gonna take me out of Midgar for a while. I'd feel bad leaving you behind with him if things weren't going to work out. Oh! Speaking of things like this! I was down in the slums today and I met this _amazing_ girl. I fell down from the plate, almost on top of her! I think I crushed some of the flowers she's growing..."

Cloud stopped. His hands stopped. His head stopped. His heart stopped. He knew who Zack was talking about. He'd managed not to think too hard on her existence since coming here. It was too difficult. To painful. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to speak normally. "What's her name?"

Either he managed it better than he thought, or Zack was distracted enough not to notice. Either way, Zack started bouncing in place, "Aerith! Get this, she grows _flowers_ in the _slums_!"

Cloud knew those flowers. He knew them very well. They'd given him comfort in his grief and pain. They'd reminded him of her.

"You.. don't get many flowers in Midgar." He managed to squeeze out the words, his heart starting to beat normally again. Why hadn't he expected this?

"Nope. I told her she should sell them! Midgar full of flowers, pocket full of money! Everybody wins!"

That had been how he'd met her. The first time. She'd been selling flowers on the plate and he'd bought one from her. Zack's words were bringing up memories and Cloud once again had the urge to flee. From what, he wasn't sure. Zack's words? His own feelings? His memories?

He pushed his plate away and looked at Zack, forcing a smile. "That's... a great idea Zack." He said, "Where's your mission taking you?" Another topic. He wasn't ready to talk about her yet. He didn't know if he ever would be.

"Oh! Modeoheim. Some frozen place on the northern continent I think." Zack wouldn't share more than that. He never did. He was apparently working on something important and secret. Cloud didn't push, but the name of the place seemed familiar to him. It hadn't been somewhere they'd travelled to in the months leading up to Meteorfall, or even since then. So his vague memories must be about this time.

Did he go on that mission? Cloud couldn't remember. He hadn't joined yet, had he? Maybe he got his dates wrong. His memories of that time were completely inconsistent and unreliable anyway.

"Don't get too cold." He warned, "It's easy to get all your heat sapped before you even know you're cold." He remembered that all too well. The ice glacier had _not_ been fun to clime.

Zack nodded, no longer questioning Cloud's advice.

– – – – – –

Once Zack had left for his mission, Cloud wandered back up to Sephiroth's office carrying a paper bag. He let himself in again and sat down in front of Sephiroth's desk, dropping the bag on top of the paperwork.

"You know," Sephiroth said, sliding the bag aside to continue with what he was doing, "I could have had someone important in here." He finished the page with a signature and then looked up, "And you didn't knock."

Cloud shrugged, nudging the bag at Sephiroth. "Eat." He ordered. "I knew you were doing paperwork. I also know that people don't tend to interrupt you when you're doing paperwork. Rumour has it you get all grouchy."

Sephiroth blinked at Cloud, an amused smile flickering at the corner of his lips. "You've interrupted me twice today."

"I'm special. Eat." Cloud reached into the bag and pulled out a sandwich. Sephiroth followed suit, pushing the now empty bag aside.

"Why are you here, Cloud?"

Cloud finished his mouthful, before answering. "Zack's on a mission." He told him, "I don't know if the order to watch me was rescinded or not." He shrugged.

Sephiroth gave a single nod. "And the food?"

"Pretty sure you're just as lousy as me at remembering to eat." And also, Cloud had had no idea what to say to Sephiroth. Speaking with ones mouth full of food was rude, so filling his mouth with food seemed like a good way to get out of having to converse. Obviously it hadn't worked.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow but ate his food anyway. Once done, he looked down at his paperwork and sighed.

"You know..." Cloud started, looking down at the pile on Sephiroth's desk. Was it even bigger than the last time he was here, just an hour or so ago? "If the order to watch me hasn't been rescinded... you'd have to follow me if I walked out the door..." He stood, taking a step back, a smile tugging on his lips. He took another step back, "And then, it wouldn't be your fault that your paperwork didn't get done..." Another step. He felt ridiculous, but Sephiroth was trying not to laugh. He needed a break anyway, right?

"After all," Cloud continued, "You had to choose which was more important, right? More paperwork, or a potential threat disappearing into the building..." He'd reached the door now, and Sephiroth stood, chuckling and following him towards the door.

"And just where would I be following this threatening person to?" Cloud hadn't expected him to play along, but decided to go with it, getting lost in his own amusement.

"Hmm. Could be anywhere, really." he said, "but you wont find him in your office." He was grinning now, this was a lot more fun than he thought it would be. It was nice to be silly for once, to just let go of all the seriousness that he faced every day. Was this what having a friend was supposed to be like?

"Hmm. I wonder if I would find him in the building at all? Maybe he went for a walk along the plate's edge?"

Cloud tipped his head to the side, that actually seemed... nice.

"That does sound like a good place to start." They were walking now, heading for the elevators. Sephiroth hadn't bothered locking his office, but he did make sure to close the door. Cloud wondered if anybody would even notice he was gone. Probably not.

They walked together for a long while. The edge of the plate hadn't been completely finished yet. It reminded Cloud of Edge and he was suddenly homesick. He slowed his speed and found an exposed beam to sit on. Sephiroth joined him and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

The view wasn't too bad. The wastes weren't as big as Cloud remembered, but they spread out quite far. There was a hint of greenery on the horizon, but nothing close enough to see properly. They could see the ocean though. A small slither of water in the distance. Cloud closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself relax.

"This reminds me of home." He said quietly, not even realising he was speaking at first.

"You never speak of your home." Sephiroth shifted slightly, his shoulder warm against Cloud's.

"There's... not much I can say." Cloud admitted, opening his eyes to gaze out into the distance. The sun was starting to go down and it spread red across the sky. "It doesn't exist... any more." Yet. It hadn't been built yet. The ruins that it had been built on were still a city. A lot could change in a decade.

They were quiet again. They watched the sun set before moving to go back. Sephiroth had stood first and offered his hand to Cloud. He took it, even though he didn't really need the help. That wasn't the point. They were still friends. Even if things were awkward for a little while.

"Thank you." Sephiroth said quietly and Cloud wasn't entirely sure what for, but he nodded anyway.

"Let's get back inside."

– – – – –


	14. A New Truth

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 14 – A New Truth –

Zack came back from Modeoheim different, with a new hair cut, a new promotion and a new sword. A familiar sword. Something bad must have happened on that mission but as hard as Cloud tried, he couldn't remember.

The man was subdued. His usual enthusiasm and optimism completely gone, replaced with quiet contemplation. It didn't fit him, it just seemed wrong and Cloud wanted to fix it. Unfortunately, Zack didn't seem to want to talk to anybody, least of all him. For some reason, whenever Cloud tried to approach him all he would get was a glare before Zack stormed off. It was three days after his return that Zack finally came to Cloud.

Cloud was leaving his room, ready to head to the cafeteria for his morning coffee when a hand grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him back into his room. His hand was on his weapon before he caught sight of Zack and relaxed.

"Zack?" Was the man finally ready to talk to him? To tell him what was going on, why he was acting the way he was?

"Are you a time traveller?"

The world shifted under Cloud's feet at that question – no, more of an accusation – his heart started to thud in his chest as he floundered for words, the question so completely unexpected.

"There was a kid on my mission. He looked exactly like you. I'm not talking, 'could be his brother' kind of like you, but he _looked exactly like you._ " Zack was glaring at Cloud with what seemed to be barely controlled fury. "He had no idea who you were. But he was you. Wasn't he?"

Cloud had no idea how Zack had figured that out but he had to remind himself that Zack wasn't stupid, he was a lot more intelligent than he portrayed himself to be. Numbly, Cloud let out a single nod.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME!" The pain in those shouted words broke Cloud's heart. Zack was shaking, trembling, his eyes filled with tears that refused to spill. "I could've saved him! If you'd told me-" Those tears were falling now.

"Zack..." 

"I thought we were friends! You don't let your friend walk into that blind!"

"I don't remember the mission!" Cloud admitted his own voice rising, standing at full height and meeting Zack's eyes. He quietened his voice a little before continuing. "Eighteen months from now, I spent four years in Hojo's lab." He didn't want to be telling Zack this, he didn't want to go into details, but he needed Zack to know that Cloud hadn't _known_. "I don't have many memories of anything from before. I can't even remember my own mother, Zack." That had been a painful realisation for him, one that he'd managed to work his way through a long time ago.

After a moment, Zack's shoulders sagged. "How... how far from the future are you?"

"Around fifteen years." Cloud took Zack's arm and gently guided him to the bed, sitting him down and taking a place beside him. "I can't tell you much." He told him quietly. He didn't _want_ to tell him much. How could he? "I don't know why I've been sent back again." He admitted, "But I know that there's some stuff I need to stop from happening."

"Worse than this?" Zack sounded so small, so lost and Cloud wondered just what the hell had happened in Modeoheim.

"I don't know what _this_ is, Zack." Cloud reminded him gently, "But I can almost promise you that it was... will be... could be? Worse." Tenses sucked.

There was a heavy silence and Zack slowly stopped shaking, his anger gone, replaced by a bitter sadness. "I had to kill Angeal." He admitted quietly.

Angeal? Who was Angeal? Cloud closed his eyes and tried to remember, accessing not only his own memories, but the memories he'd stolen from Zack. Angeal was... Zack's mentor. Project G. Sephiroth's friend. Zack's friend.

"I'm sorry." Cloud opened his eyes and looked at Zack, "Losing a mentor is one of the hardest things to suffer through." He placed his arm around Zack's shoulders, an unfamiliar gesture for him, and pulled him to his chest. "Mine died a hero." He told him, "He died so that I could live. I'm his living legacy." He swallowed. This was hard to talk about, but it was easier because of _who_ he was telling. "Just like you're Angeal's. Embrace his honour. Live his dream."

There was a nod against his chest. "Who was your mentor?" Zack asked quietly and Cloud couldn't help but flinch. He didn't answer, simply held Zack close.

"You'll see him again." He said instead, "When you join the lifestream, he'll be there. He'll be waiting to bring you home."

"I didn't think you were religious." Zack pulled back from Cloud to look at him. "You don't seem the type."

Of course. In this time, the lifestream hadn't erupted from the surface yet. People didn't know that it was real, and a lot of people thought of it as a myth. Believing in the lifestream was considered being religious. He let out a soft laugh.

"It's real, Zack." He told him, "I've been in it. A few times, actually. There was... someone special. She could talk to me, come see me when I needed her." He closed his eyes, remembering the peace of her garden. "The planet used the lifestream to send me here."

"Huh." Zack frowned. "I think you should meet Aerith." He told him, a small smile playing on his lips. He was thinking about her, distracted enough to not notice Cloud tense. "She believes in that stuff."

Cloud shook his head, "I'm trying... to avoid people I knew." It wasn't completely a lie. If it hadn't been for the fact that Zack had been forced on him, he might have avoided him too. "Makes it easier to not say something I shouldn't." It was hard enough lying to Zack and Sephiroth. "I can't lie to her." He admitted quietly.

Zack stared at him for a moment, "You know her!?" He asked, smile turning into a grin. "So that means you probably knew me too!"

Cloud looked away and didn't say anything.

"So. I finally know something about you. You know, I thought you were going to call me crazy, tell me that I was insane for thinking you're from the future. But I was right!" There was that energy again. It was slightly strained, Zack was still hurting underneath.

Cloud let out a chuckle. "Yeah. Now you know why I didn't tell anyone. How are you supposed to say, 'Hi, my name's Cloud. I'm from the future.'?" They dissolved into laughter, the tense atmosphere snapping in an instant.

"You know I'm going to be full of questions now, right?"

"You know I probably won't answer them all, right?" Cloud countered, "There's a lot I can't tell you, and a lot you just... don't want to know."

"Right." Zack gave a nod, "And I'm going to be busy. I'm... a living legacy... right?" He seemed to take comfort in that. "I think... that means I need to be the man that Angeal thought I could be. Be an honourable hero."

Cloud nodded. "His dreams, his honour... are yours now..." It was hard to say those words. His heart was breaking all over again, but when he looked up, Zack was there. That made things... better.

"Yeah. Thanks, Cloud." A deep breath, then Zack gave a nod, "Right! So, breakfast?"

– – – – – –

It was good to have Zack back. To properly have him back. His enthusiasm and energy had been somewhat dulled, but they were still there. He wasn't quite back to his old self, but this Zack was a lot more like the one in Cloud's memories. Trauma had a way of changing people.

"So, I heard you and Sephiroth went on a date!"

The coffee that had been in Cloud's mouth was now sprayed over the table between them. With wide eyes, he looked up at Zack who was wiping some of the brown liquid from his grinning face.

"Who the hell told you that!?" That hadn't been a date. That had been a... walk along the plate... at sunset... Oh hell.

"His fan club. Your fan club. General rumour mill." Zack said with a shrug, snagging a napkin and mopping up some of the mess on the table.

"I have a fan club?" That was news to him. Zack just looked at him.

"So. You guys went on a date?" He prodded.

"No. We went for a walk. That's not a date." Cloud realised he sounded petulant and he was folding his arms across his chest, glaring at Zack. If Cloud could see himself now, he would have described it as 'sulking'. Zack just laughed louder.

"At sunset, right? How's that not a date?"

"So if you and I were on a walk and it just happened to be sunset, it'd be a date?" Cloud asked, unfolding his arms only so he could drink the rest of his coffee.

Zack shrugged, throwing out the napkins and retrieving his own drink. "I dunno. I mean, he gives you gifts, you're always flirting, he confesses to you and then an hour later you're taking a long sunset walk on a secluded part of the plate... Kinda sounds like a date to me."

Oh Gaia. "No, Zack. It wasn't a date." He felt like he was talking to his son again, the slow, deliberate words in a scolding tone. "It's... complicated." He said, "I know a lot about him that he can't ever know." He kept his voice down and leaned over the table. "In every time I've ever been to, my relationship to him has been complicated."

"But you're interested." Zack prompted, "If you didn't have all this... history..."

"When I was fourteen, I would have been ecstatic." He admitted, "But things changed. And even though they haven't happened yet, I _remember_ them." He shook his head, "I don't think I could ever get far enough past that." Not to mention the whole, adopted a baby version of him thing. Sephiroth looked exactly like his son and it was a little disconcerting. Okay, a _lot_ disconcerting.

Sometimes he missed the simplicity of the days of Meteorfall. At least then he knew who were enemies and who were friends. There were no blurred lines. Now everything was muddled.

Zack nodded, obviously not entirely understanding, but he was trying. "But you know, you might want to tell Sephiroth that it wasn't a date... you're kinda giving him mixed signals."

Cloud shook his head, "Pretty sure I made myself clear." He told him, "We talked about it. We're okay."

– – – – – – –

It had been a long day. For some reason, telling Zack had been both a relief and very stressful. At least with Zack knowing something about him, he didn't need to be quite so careful, but now... now more than ever he had to keep his guard up. Zack was clever, too clever and if Cloud gave him enough, he could come up with the whole truth.

Cloud didn't want Zack to have to deal with that. To have to know some of the things that happened to him. He didn't want Zack to have to hear about his death. But Zack hadn't pushed. Deep down, a part of him probably knew.

He slipped out the window as quietly as he could. Hojo hadn't gone after him for a while now, but Zack was still paranoid and sleeping in Cloud's room again. He needed to think, and he couldn't do that around Zack. There was only one place he could think of that would give him the sense of peace that he needed.

– – – – – –

The church was dark at three am, thrown into the shadows of buildings lit by meagre light. It seemed fitting somehow. Cloud didn't use the front door – the church was being watched by the Turks – instead he jumped on a nearby building and let himself into the church via the hole in the roof. It wasn't as big as he remembered, but then, his memories had never been all that reliable.

He was sat in front of the flowers, eyes closed and head bent when he heard movement. His muscles tensed, but he made no outward motions – nothing to indicate that he'd heard anything – and waited.

"She can't hear you." The voice was familiar, and yet not. There was a thump as someone jumped from the rafters and landed beside Cloud. "She's being blocked."

A young man knelt beside Cloud, tenderly running a finger over a petal. The action, the way the youth moved, it was familiar. Very familiar. Yet Cloud didn't relax. He kept his face forward, but eyed the kid from the side of his eyes.

He was wearing a long, ratty brown coat and a cap. A scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck, hiding half his face.

"Who do you mean?" Cloud played ignorance and there was a snort of amusement from the boy.

"Gaia. The planet. Lifestream. Take your pick." He finally turned to look at Cloud. "She's being blocked, trodden on by the Calamity."

What did the kid know about that? He looked like he couldn't have been more than fifteen, and definitely a slum rat.

"What are you talking about?" He prodded, feigning ignorance.

"Man, Vincent was right. You really _are_ a crappy actor." The kid was giggling now and Cloud was more tense and confused than ever before. The boy took his hat off, spilling long silver hair into the tiny light. "It's been a while."

No. It couldn't be. But... he was five. Just a baby. He was small, and innocent and didn't wear hats. He had green eyes, not brown, and he was five. And in the future. Safe. Not here. Not-

"Zack...?" Please say no. Please let him be wrong. Zack couldn't be here, it was too dangerous. Jenova hadn't been destroyed yet, Sephiroth was still around, Hojo was alive. There were too many things that could go wrong. Cloud had been happy in the knowledge that his son was safe, loved. But here... here he wouldn't be safe. And Cloud couldn't take him home with him. He couldn't protect him.

And his little boy was just that- little. This kid was a teenager. If it was Zack... then Cloud had missed out on too much, been gone for too long.

"Hi dad."


	15. A New Him

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 15 – A New Him

Cloud couldn't stop staring. Standing before him, much older than he remembered, was his son. His son. The boy looked a little embarrassed and uncomfortable and Cloud couldn't help it. With a flash of movement Zack was in his arms. Even with the strange eye colour, and the older appearance, this was his Zack.

He had his baby back. "Zack..." Cloud was trembling, emotions pouring over him so fast that he couldn't identify them, could barely feel them. He was overwhelmed, so full of emotion but so numb at the same time.

"Zeke." Zack said quietly, "I go by Zeke here." He adjusted himself a little, to be more comfortable in the crushing embrace. His small arms circled Cloud's back and held on just as tight. If either of them hadn't been enhanced, they would have probably broken something.

Cloud buried his nose in Zack-Zeke's silver hair. All his senses were consumed by the young man. He wanted to take it all in, to miss nothing. He didn't realise he was crying until a sob wracked his frame.

They sat like that for a while before Za-Zeke leaned back. "There's already another Zack here." He explained, "So I needed something else to call myself."

"How... How are you..." Words were hard, emotions pushing on him. Relief, love, fear, sorrow. They flashed through him so fast they felt like they all happened at the same time.

"Same way you got here. But I wasn't ready yet. She made me wait until I was big enough." The boy reached up, replacing his hat and tucking his hair under it. He then reached forward and started to tend to the slumbering flowers. "She made me wait four years before I convinced her to let me come to you."

Four years. Cloud had missed out on four years of this boy's life. Of his son's life. He was nine now. "But you look..."

Zeke shrugged, "I've always looked older than I am." He pointed out and Cloud remembered Zack's first day at preschool, how he'd been a head taller than his tallest classmate. "It makes sense though. Why breed a super soldier if you can't use him for a decade and a half?"

So he knew. Of his origins. Cloud was a little relieved about that. He'd always intended on telling him, explaining to him his origins, reassuring him that he was no more a monster than the rest of them. He hadn't figured out how to do it before he left, and he'd thought Zack too young to understand. Maybe he hadn't been. His son had always been smarter and wiser than his age would suggest.

"There's so much I want to ask you." Cloud said quietly, "I've missed so much..." He couldn't keep his eyes off the boy. His boy. But there were a few questions that were more important than everything else. "Are you..." safe? Happy? Taken care of?

A smile flickered on to the boy's face. "I'm good, da." He answered all the questions at once. Seemingly knowing what Cloud was asking. "After you... left, the others took care of me. I went to Cosmo Canyon with Nanaki for a bit, then I went to live in Kalm with Vincent." His smile morphed into a sly grin, "Did you know that he's my biological father?" He asked.

Cloud contemplated for a moment. That should have shocked him a lot more than it did. He'd believed Hojo to have been Sephiroth's father, but then... since when could Hojo be believed? Vincent had been close to Lucrecia around the time of Sephiroth's conception. The timing fit. Not to mention the visual similarities between the men.

"That actually makes sense." Cloud said with a nod, thinking about it. "When I brought you home, I considered asking Vincent to take you," He admitted, "I didn't think I'd- I wasn't really ready to have a kid."

"Yeah. They told me that." He shook his head, "But it wouldn't have worked. Vincent had that whole... demon woe is me, thing going on." He sat back and looked at the flowers for a moment. "But when they realised that I was going to find my way back here, Vincent took me in. He taught me a lot of things. How to-" He cut off his sentence, falling silent. His head tilting to the side, "There's someone here." he whispered.

Cloud could hear it too, the unmistakable sound of someone trying to be quiet. In a flash, Zeke was gone, back up to the rafters. The muffled footsteps moved closer, and Cloud relaxed as he recognised them.

"You're not very sneaky." He said out loud, not bothering to turn around.

"I wasn't trying to be sneaky..." Zack – the older Zack – lied, joining Cloud at the flower bed. "But you were talking to someone," He looked around with a frown.

"Myself." Cloud told him. "I used to come here a lot after..." After Aerith died After a meteor fell on the planet. After Geostigma attacked him and the people he loved. After it was healed. After he brought home a baby Sephiroth. After a lot of things. He shook his head at Zack's curious look. "After." He restated it, finishing his sentence. He was glad Zack didn't push it.

"What are you doing here?" He asked Zack instead.

"I woke up and you were gone. The window was open. Did you really jump out the window?" Cloud just shrugged and Zack sighed, plonking himself down beside the older man. "You wanted to get away that bad?"

"I needed some time." Cloud was again tending to the flowers, but Zack's hand shot out and stopped him.

"Hey, Aerith doesn't like it when people touch the flowers." He scolded.

Cloud just chuckled, "That's because people don't know what they're doing." He told him, "I've been tending to them for..." How long had it been? In his own personal timeline, that is. "Gaia, nearly a decade now." Aerith had been dead for nearly a decade. Seven years. Had it really been so long ago?

"And she let you?" Zack seemed shocked at the very idea. Cloud just shrugged.

"She never objected." That was the truth. And yes, the dead didn't usually object, but death had never actually stopped her from voicing strong opinions. He pushed Zack's hand away and returned to his task. "It... helps me process." He said quietly. "Thoughts. Emotions. It's sort of like..."

"Therapy?" Zack offered, leaning back to watch him.

Cloud shook his head, "More like meditation." He told him, "I tried therapy once. It... didn't work." Telling his problems to people wasn't exactly something he was good at. Even when he had, the person he'd decided to tell had been dead for years first.

Zack looked confused. He obviously didn't understand. It didn't matter. It worked for Cloud, that's what counted.

"So.. You gonna stay here all night?" Zack asked eventually and Cloud shook his head. He finished pulling the weed he'd been working on and stood. He had no intention of staying here for too long. He didn't want to run into Aerith.

"Don't... tell her that I was here." He requested, "I don't- I'm not ready to..."

Zack was quiet, his face sad and completive. "She died, didn't she?" He asked quietly, looking down at the flowers. "She was your friend, and she died."

"Yeah..." Cloud swallowed. Oh how he did _not_ want to have this conversation. "I'm sorry. I wasn't... I wasn't fast enough to save her."

The look Zack was giving him was hard to read but Cloud could see sympathy, understanding, pity – but no anger.

"I know you did your best." How could he be so confident? How could he believe that with such conviction when Cloud himself didn't believe it. Zack barely even _knew_ Cloud, he didn't know any of the circumstances surrounding Aerith's death. He didn't know how it had been so close to being Cloud's hand, _Zack's blade_ that had killed her. Yet he still believed that Cloud had done his best to save her.

"You loved her." Zack continued as if it was obvious, "And you protect those you love."

Again, Cloud had to swallow a lump in his throat. He nodded, eyes trained on the ground. "We should go." He said quietly. Zack left, and Cloud paused for a moment, looking back in to the church. His gaze moved upwards, but Zeke was nowhere to be seen. Then again. He'd been at least partially raised by a legendary Turk. "I'll come back." He promised, not sure if Zeke was even there to hear him. "I promise."

– – – – –

His day just kept getting longer, and it was only seven am. He hadn't sleep the night before, so it had felt like one long day. Cloud had a lot to think about, a lot to process and he didn't even know where to start.

Zack was back. He had his baby back. He'd held him in his arms, so much bigger than Cloud remembered, but still so young. Cloud had missed out on so much of his growth, so much of his life – almost half of it – and he would never get that back. But he had his boy back.

But he had no idea where he was staying, was he warm enough? Safe from the horrors of the slums? Was he eating enough? There were so many things that could go wrong for him, so many ways that bad things could happen, and Cloud was terrified for him.

It didn't matter that Zac-Zeke had been training with a sword before he could properly string sentences together. It didn't matter that he'd been looked after, taught, probably even trained by at least four of the worlds best warriors. It didn't matter that he was naturally proficient in both physical and magical combat. All that mattered to Cloud was that his little baby boy was alone in the slums. He was filled with worry and dread.

Zack and Sephiroth had noticed Cloud's distraction. He _had_ been acting a little strange this morning. Zack had picked up on it right away – after finding him down at the church – and Sephiroth had noticed the moment that Cloud walked in to his office the next morning.

"Are you feeling well?" Sephiroth asked, and Cloud looked up at him. He shook his head and returned his gaze to the edge of the desk, falling back in to silence.

"You'll have to forgive me." Sephiroth continued after a moment, "Having friends is a new concept for me. I believe I am supposed to... comfort and unwell friend?" The absurdity of the words made Cloud laugh a little. It felt good to laugh.

"Sorry," He said, "I've got a lot on my mind."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Sephiroth offered and Cloud thought for a moment. He could ask for time off. Find somewhere for Zeke to live, spend some times with him. But then... he was still being watched. It was risky, too risky. Cloud didn't want anybody in Shinra to know about Zeke. He didn't want anybody to know that he had a connection to Cloud, and he _really_ didn't want anybody to know about the boy's genetics.

Right now, he had to trust in Zeke. Trust that he trained enough to take care of himself, trust that he'd gained enough wisdom and knowledge from his friends to know how to stay out of trouble. He had to trust that Aerith wouldn't have let him come back here until he was ready. He had to trust.

Trust wasn't always easy for him. There were only a handful of people in the entirety of existence that he knew he could fully trust. And they had helped raised his son. Zeke would be fine.

But what else could Sephiroth do for him? Cloud had got to know him pretty well over the last few timelines, more so in this one, and knew that the warrior needed to be doing _something_ to help. Surprisingly, it was in his nature to want to take care of, to protect his friends.

"Do you have any more of that coffee?" That would be a start. For both of them.

Sephiroth gave a nod and stood. He wandered off to a cabinet in the corner of his office, reaching in to pull out a familiar jar. He handed it to Cloud, and he took it with a nod and a smile. "Join me?" He suggested, holding the jar up and tilting his head towards the door. It would be nice to have some company right now, and Zack was down in the slums with Aerith.

They made their way to the cafeteria to acquire mugs and boiling water. They made up their coffee and moved on. Cloud didn't need to say that he didn't want to be around people for Sephiroth to know.

They ended up on a small abandoned balcony outside of a disused office. They were alone. Cloud let the quiet fall over him and the breeze ruffle his hair. "You once said you wanted to hear my story." Cloud said quietly, "I can't tell you all of it but..."

Would Sephiroth believe him? The fact that Zack had believed him had been surprising, but Sephiroth was very scientifically minded. Would he even entertain the idea?

Sephiroth nodded, eyes still trained on the view. Out in the distance, Cloud could see Reactor 1. The first reactor he'd help destroy. That had been a simpler time.

"I was born in Nibelheim." He started quietly, "Fourteen years ago from now." He could feel Sephiroth's gaze on him, but refused to turn to see him. "Last year, I got thrown back in time." He had no idea how to explain this. It had been easier with Zack – the man had pieced it all together by himself first.

"Time travel?" Sephiroth's tone was disbelieving. That wasn't unexpected.

Cloud shrugged, "It wasn't the first time." He admitted, "I can't... I can't tell you everything. I can't tell you _most_ of it. But.. in my time, you're..." Dead? A monster? A threat? Evil? He shook his head, unable to finish his sentence. So instead, he tried a new one.

"Twenty four years ago, in a small town called Nibelheim, a scientist conceived a baby. She let her boss run experiments on the foetus. She let him inject foreign substances into it. Into him." He was making it sound bad. But then, it _was_ bad. "She started to get sick, and she saw...visions... of the future. When her baby was born, the head scientist snatched him away. She never got to see him, or hold him. That baby was never held with love." It hurt to think about that. "And the mother disappeared."

Sephiroth was listening. Cloud could trust that the man would listen to all he had to say before he made up his mind on what to believe.

"The woman's name was Lucrecia Crescent." He paused, "Before he was born, she named her son Sephiroth."

Silence fell upon them and Cloud could barely breathe. He had no idea how Sephiroth was going to react to this. Would he believe him? Would he call him a liar? Would he go insane and attack? Cloud was ready for any of this.

"I was told that my mother's name was Jenova." Came the reply.

Cloud managed to shake his head, his voice still somehow coming out normal. "No. Jenova was the name of the... creature who's cells were introduced into the foetus." He said quietly, "Hojo lied. I bet he told you that he was your father too..." When he felt Sephiroth nod beside him, he shook his own head again, "No. Your father's name was-is Vincent Valentine. He was a Turk assigned to protect Lucrecia - your mother."

"And how did you come by this information?" Sephiroth didn't believe him. Cloud didn't really expect him to. He could only hope that this would mitigate some of the damage done to the man's psyche if he ever made it to Nibelheim.

"Vincent." Cloud told him, "It's a long story." He sighed and sipped at his long cooled coffee. It was still too sweet. "A lot happened to me in the last fifteen years." He added, "I have Jenova cells too."

He wasn't sure if this was a good idea. A very large part of him just wanted to run. To get Zeke and put as much distance between himself and Sephiroth as possible. But he had started this, he owed it to the man to tell him as much as he could.

Silence fell again, neither man moving. "There is a lot you're not telling me." Sephiroth said at last and Cloud nodded.

"Yeah. I didn't really want to tell you any of it." He admitted, "But this... this is about you, and you deserve to know."

"To know that I am a monster?" Those words made Cloud stop. He slowly turned to look at Sephiorth. The man's face would have been unreadable to most, but Cloud knew that face better than he knew his own. He was afraid, ashamed. He was unsure.

Without thinking, Cloud put his cup down on the balcony ledge and reached out. He took Sephiroth's hand in both his own and looked up at the man. "No." He said, "To know that you're _not_ a monster." He moved the hand he held and pressed it against his chest. "No more than I am." He believed that. Cloud truly believed that Sephiroth was not a monster. And he let it show in his face. Completely unguarding his expression was difficult for him. He'd hidden for so long that it felt dangerous to just let go. But right now, he needed to. Sephiroth needed to see it.

One hand reached out and gently placed itself on Sephiroth's face, cupping a cheek. "Our biology doesn't make us who we are." He said quietly, "We _decide_ who we are." He took half a step forward, trying his best to show his sincerity. "Your mother made a bad choice. Your father didn't even know you were his. Your upbringing wasn't the best, but despite it all, you're a good man."

Cloud saw Sephiroth swallow, listening to everything Cloud was saying, and Cloud realised that he'd probably never had anyone say anything like this to him before. His life had been so devoid of love, that he didn't know what to do with it.

"You are not a monster." Cloud's words were quiet, "You just have slightly different biology to most. Jenova isn't your mother. But she will want you to think that she is. It's very important, Sephiroth, that when the time comes, you don't listen to her." Sephiroth looked confused, but Cloud kept going. He had moved forward again and was all but pressed against the man, Sephiroth's hand still in his and his other hand still on his face. "Promise me." He demanded, "Promise me that you'll push her away."

"I don't understand." Sephiroth admitted.

"Just... just promise me that when she starts to talk to you, you'll find me. You'll come to me and you'll talk to me. You'll let me help you. Please, Sephiroth. Let me help you. Let me stop you from becoming a monster." There was real panic in his voice, he couldn't help it. If Sephiroth gave in to Jenova again, he would have to kill him.

"I was told that she was dead..." Sephiroth wasn't moving. He was confused and uncomfortable, but Cloud couldn't back off, not now. He let his hands fall but kept a grip on Sephiroth's. He shook his head and looked down at their hands. Sephiroth wasn't pulling away.

"No. But she isn't really alive either." He admitted, "I don't really know much about her. I think... I think I'm here to eliminate her." His thumb was absently drawing circles on Sephiroth's wrist. "In my time... In my time she got into your head. She told you lies laced with truth. You found out about the experiments that made you and... and you went insane." He looked up into Sephiroth's eyes again.

The younger man said nothing, simply waiting for Cloud to continue. He seemed overwhelmed, not that Cloud blamed him. Cloud didn't continue, he just stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"You're afraid that I will go insane again." Sephiroth said quietly and Cloud nodded.

"I don't want to have to kill you again." He said quietly, "I don't think-" He had to take a breath, "I don't think I _could_ do it again." He shook his head, "Just... don't let her in. Don't let her take over. It hurts to resist. Gaia it hurts, but please." Where was the line between repeatedly making a request and begging? Cloud was sure he'd crossed that line a short while ago.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth let out a breath, "Do you realise how insane this sounds?" He asked, "You're practically begging me not to go insane because you're from the future and you don't want to have to kill me for listening to my mother?"

Cloud tensed. He hadn't fully expected Sephiroth to believe him, but he'd hoped. He went to take a step back but was held still by Sephiroth's hand tightening on his. He was pulled closer to Sephiroth, who wrapped his free arm around Cloud. "I don't know what to believe." He said quietly, "But you are my friend."

Hesitantly, Cloud lifted his own free arm and wrapped it around Sephiroth. He was warm, and Cloud actually felt comforted. Even safe. "Now you see why I didn't tell you before." He said with a dry laugh.

Sephiroth's chuckle joined Cloud's and he pulled back just far enough to look down at Cloud. "You are an enigma." He said with fondness. "I will think on what you've told me. I can't say I fully believe you, but I can make you a promise. If I hear from my- From Jenova, I will come to you." A hand let go of Cloud's waist to reach up, placing his own hand on Clouds in a mirror of their previous position.

Cloud didn't know what to expect, but the soft lips on his own had definitely not been it. The kiss was short, almost chaste. It was over before Cloud could really comprehend what had happened, but he knew he was staring at Sephiroth in mild shock.

It hadn't been as awkward as he'd thought it would be. Or at least, it hadn't been awkward while it was happening, but now... now Cloud felt awkward. "Sephiroth..." He whispered, lowering his head to place his forehead against Sephiroth's chin. "I can't." He told him, "There's more to my story but I can't-"

"It's okay, Cloud." Sephiroth said quietly, finally disengaging and stepping back. He looked sad and wistful, but not disappointed or angry. Cloud took that moment to pull away completely, to let go of Sephiroth's hand and step back. He cleared his throat and looked away.

"I should go." He muttered, not waiting for a reply before all but fleeing, leaving Sephiroth alone on the abandoned balcony.


	16. A New Phone

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 16 – A New Phone

He wasn't exactly _avoiding_ Sephiroth. Not really. He just always had a valid excuse for leaving the room when Sephiroth entered it. Zack had noticed, and Cloud had no doubts that Sephiroth had too. He felt a bit bad, especially when he saw the resigned look on the man's face during their last passing. But he didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to think, _how_ to think.

Avoiding Sephiroth was a lot easier than avoiding Zack. The man had sealed the window and now slept by the door, still staying in Cloud's tiny room. "Zack..." Cloud said slowly, "I'm not going to run away." He sighed as Zack simply shrugged and stood with his back against the door. He folded his arms in front of his chest and just looked at him for a moment.

"Cloud." He said eventually, "What's going on with you?" He asked slowly.

With a groan, Cloud threw himself backwards onto his bed. He didn't want to have this conversation. He was too old for this shit. "I don't want to talk about it, Zack." he said, "You wouldn't understand."

"Then make me understand." Zack wasn't budging. Apparently Cloud wasn't the only one that was stubborn.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Cloud thought on that for a moment. Why couldn't he tell Zack everything? The man already believed him on the whole time travel thing. He could tell him about Zeke – if he missed out the part about Zeke having followed him in to the past – he could tell Zack about Meteorfall, about everything that he'd been through. Couldn't he? He didn't have to tell Zack about his death, he didn't have to tell Zack about the fact that Cloud had thought he was _him_ for a while, right?

He sat up, still weighing up his options. It would be nice to have an ally. Somebody who knew everything. Wouldn't it?

He took a breath, opened his mouth to explain, and then realised that he didn't know where to start. "I don't know where to start." He muttered, shuffling back on his bed so that he could rest his back against the wall. He brought his knees up in front of him and leaned his arms on them, still thinking.

"The beginning? I mean, your beginning- not your beginning beginning-" Okay, so Zack was apparently nervous too. That kind of made Cloud feel a little better and he let out a chuckle.

"Long story short... I went on a mission to Nibelheim with Sephiroth and my mentor. Sephiroth found some stuff out that he really should have found out in a better way and he ended up going insane. He wanted to bring a meteor down on the planet and came damn close. I had to kill him. Three times. I lost my mentor, and we lost Aerith. Then, a few months after the last time, I was sent back in time and told to 'save him'. There were only two people that could have been, so I killed Hojo and saved the baby he was experimenting on. A two week old Sephiroth. I took him home and raised him for five years before I was brought here. This time I wasn't told what my mission is, but it _always_ has something to do with Sephiroth. I don't know if I'm supposed to stop him from going insane, or kill him before he does. Either way, I had to get close to him..."

Zack was quiet for a moment. Cloud had been really concise. There was a _lot_ that Cloud hadn't told him, but he didn't really need to know.

"And you don't know what to feel, because you spent years thinking he was a hero, then years chasing and killing him, then years _raising_ him."

Another nod.

"Okay, I just have one question then."

Cloud looked up at him, resting his chin on his arms. "Hmm? Just one."

"Yeah. If you saved baby Sephiroth, then how come he still grew up here?"

That... actually was a good question. Cloud shrugged, "I don't know. Taking him out of his timeline didn't effect mine either. All I can think of is that there are lots of timelines and that I was pulled across rather than back through the same one." He shrugged. "I don't really... do the science thing."

Zack nodded. "Okay. So. Now. Back to our main problem right now. You don't know how you feel about Sephiroth."

Cloud nodded, "Part of me will always be angry at him. For Nibelheim. For Aerith. For- For my mentor. But I realised that I couldn't blame him for things that he hasn't done yet. If I did, then I would always blame my son for things that happened long before he was even born. And if I refuse to blame him, then I can't really blame _this_ Sephiroth. I have to believe that they're all different people. Just... the same genetics."

"So... that means that you _could_ go with Sephiroth – this Sephiroth if you wanted to. I mean, you've already said that they're different people..."

A laugh escaped Cloud and he shrugged, "That's the theory. But he still looks _exactly_ like my son." He pointed out.

"So?" Zack shrugged, "Lots of people date people that look just like their kids. I mean, they're usually the other parent of the kid, but they look the same a lot of the time. I look just like my dad, doesn't mean mum doesn't want to be with dad any more."

"You should call them." Cloud told him, changing the subject. He'd never really been any good at emotions, and now he couldn't even identify them. All he knew, was the logic aside, he couldn't _'go'_ with Sephiroth. It was too... complicated. "They're good people and they miss you."

"You met them?"

Cloud shrugged, "Just before Meteorfall. When I was travelling." Wow. It was strange to be able to talk about this now. "You'd been missing for a while. They hadn't heard from you. Apparently you only sent them one letter?"

Zack frowned then turned a little pink. "I guess I've been busy. I'll write them." He said with a nod.

"Good." Cloud unfolded his legs and stretched. He felt... relieved? It was like a weight had been lifted. But he was also feeling drained. He'd relived a lot of trauma tonight.

"So what are you gonna do about Sephiroth?" Zack asked quietly, "He's your friend. We're basically the only friends he's got. Are you really going to use that to kill him?"

"If I have to." Cloud admitted. "If I have to, I will. It would break me, and I probably wouldn't survive. But... But the planet is worth more than me. More than him." He looked at Zack, "He was so close to succeeding. To taking out the _entire planet_. I can't let that happen..."

Zack nodded again, still thinking. "Okay." He said quietly, letting out a long breath, "We'll do whatever we can to make sure that never happens and... if it comes down to it... I'll back you up. Okay?"

"No." Cloud couldn't do that. He couldn't let Zack- He shook his head, trying to push the panic away. "No. If it comes to that, you get away. You find Aerith, and you run. Run as far and as fast as you can and you stay away. I won't-" He stopped, taking a breath and closing his eyes. "I wont lose anybody else that I love." He let out a deep breath, "I need some air." He said.

With that, he walked out the door. If Zack had followed him, it wouldn't have mattered. The moment he was out of his room, Cloud used every trick Vincent had ever taught him to disappear.

– – – – – – –

The under the plate was always dimly lit. It never received any actual sunlight but it did have artificial lighting. Cloud was sat atop the slide when he heard footsteps approaching. It was the sound of someone who naturally moved quietly, trying to make noise.

After a moment, there was someone sitting beside him. Cloud turned to regard his son, a smile on his face. "I'm sorry I took so long." He said quietly, putting an arm around the boy and pulling him close. "Are you safe?" He asked.

Zeke gave him a disgruntled look and huffed. "I'm more trained than half the Turks and better trained than any. I'm good." He pulled away from Cloud's embrace to sit up a bit easier. "I know how to hide, how to get food, where is safe to sleep. All that stuff. I'm okay. But what about you? You're wearing a SOLDIER uniform..."

Cloud looked down at his clothing. He'd been wearing one for so long that he'd actually forgotten what it symbolised. He shrugged, "It was the best way... I wasn't told what I should be doing, but... it usually has to do with Sephiroth."

"Right..." Zeke looked unconvinced. "So you infiltrated SOLDIER?" Cloud nodded and Zack continued, "Are you safe from Hojo?"

It was a valid concern, and Cloud paused. The scientist had all but left him alone over the last month or so. It was a little disconcerting and Cloud had no idea what the scientist was up to. "I can't tell for sure. But I have back up if I need it." Cloud replaced the arm around Zeke's shoulders, more loosely this time. "I found Zack." He said, "He's the one that came to the church last time."

Zeke nodded, "I thought so. Tifa had a picture of him and Sephiroth. She showed it to me once." He frowned, "I thought he'd be taller..." Cloud had to laugh at that one.

"If anything happens to me, you should find him. He'll take care of you." Cloud said. He'd told Zack enough that it wouldn't be a _complete_ surprise to him. "I told him a bit about you. How I got you." He admitted, "But he doesn't know you're here. Nobody does."

Zeke nodded, understanding. The boy was too wise for his years and Cloud was again struck by the years that he'd missed. There were still traces of that tiny boy, but this one was a lot more grown up. Too grown up.

"Zack."

"Zeke."

"Zeke." Cloud corrected himself, "Promise me that you'll go to him if you need to."

"Fine." Zeke sighed with a petulance that only a pre-teen could muster. "But I can look after myself."

"Obviously." Cloud agreed, "But you don't have to." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small PHS. It was a cheap and basic model, but it worked and it was hard to trace. "I have one too." He said, "My number is in there. I have yours. Don't give either number to anyone." He warned. "Don't use it unless you really need to." He added, "It's hard to trace, but not impossible and Shinra are watching me."

He was keeping an eye out, but apparently he'd managed to elude them for now. "I probably wont be able to get away much. And I don't want to bring them to you."

Zeke nodded, "It's okay. I've been okay this far. I've been here a month." He shrugged, taking the PHS and putting it into a pocket. "But I'll call you if I have to." He added. He stood, "I gotta go." He offered a final wave to Cloud before moving with speed and grace that would have made Vincent proud. It certainly made Cloud feel better about leaving him alone.

It was hard to watch him leave though. The entirety of Cloud's being was screaming at him to follow, to take a hold of the boy and never let him go again. But that would be too dangerous. He couldn't. Not while Shinra were watching.

– – – – – –

Zack was right. Cloud had to stop avoiding Sephiroth. Cloud knew that Zack was right. It didn't make it any easier for Cloud to approach the man. He kept trying to figure out reasons and excuses as to why he needed to be in the same room as the man. If he could dress it up like an official meeting, maybe it wouldn't be so awkward?

Luckily, he didn't have to come up with anything. When he got back to his room, Zack was nowhere to be seen for once. But there, standing by the (sealed) window, was Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth?" Cloud cautiously stepped into his room and closed the door behind him.

The younger man jumped slightly and turned around, his face already tinged pink. "Cloud- I'm here to apologise." He said quickly, almost falling over his words.

Cloud paused. This was so different to every other version of Sephiroth that had known that he couldn't help the snort of laughter that came from him. He shook his head, holding a hand up. "Don't." He said, walking fully into his room. He took his sword off and put it against the wall, taking a moment to stretch the muscle that had been supporting it. "I should be apologising to you. I shouldn't've run away."

"I shouldn't have-" Again, Cloud shook his head and held a hand up.

"It was an emotionally charged conversation. Wires get crossed. People do things without thinking..." he hoped that had been the case. "Just... don't do it again."

Sephiroth nodded, face still pink. He shuffled from one foot to the other, still looking incredibly awkward. Cloud chuckled again and gestured to the bed, "Sit." He said, leaning against the wall opposite the bed. "You look like you need to sit down."

"I... am still unused to this feeling." Sephiroth said quietly, "I will admit to being... sudden disturbed by your departure."

Right. That... had probably been Sephiroth's first kiss. And Cloud had fled. "Sorry," he said, "I was... overwhelmed. There's... a lot you don't know about me." He told him, "and some of it wouldn't make sense to you. But..." He paused to think, to decide. "Give me some time." He told Sephiroth, "Give me some time to think about things. Get my thoughts sorted and my head to where it's supposed to be."

He stepped forward and sat on the bed beside Sephiroth. "Until then just..." He shrugged, not sure what he was even asking. It didn't matter, Sephiroth seemed to understand, or at least understood well enough. He nodded, still watching Cloud.

"Zack's advice was... less than helpful." Sephiroth admitted, "I asked him how to stop feeling like this. He told me that I either had to find someone else, or convince you to..." His blush darkened and he made a vague gesture. Cloud could guess what Zack had said and he laughed.

"Zack's still a teenager. That's just... how they think sometimes." He reassured Sephiroth. "But... I don't really have any better advice. The only people I've been interested in... Well. Most of them are dead." He admitted, "The other one... It just sort of didn't happen." He shrugged.

He sighed softly, laying back on the bed. After a moments hesitation, Sephiroth lay down beside him.

"Is having a friend... always this difficult?" Sephiroth asked for a moment and Cloud thought on it.

He thought of his team, of his AVALANCHE. Some of them had been easy friendship but others had required a lot of work. "The good ones are sometimes." He said, remembering some of the fights that he and Tifa had had. "But if the friendship is worth it, then you get through it."

Cloud felt Sephiroth move to face him, and he turned his head to return the gaze. "Is this friendship worth it?" The silver general asked quietly.

"Yeah."

– – – – – –

"Right!" Zack had dragged both Sephiroth and Cloud into his room. It was a lot bigger than Cloud's and he had to wonder why they'd both been crashing in his room instead of using this one. Zack's room was actually two rooms, a bedroom and what looked like a lounge and small kitchenette. There even seemed to be a private bathroom tucked into another corner.

The lounge had a couch tucked into the corner. A coffee table sat in front of it and a small television was propped up against a far wall. Zack pushed them both towards the small couch.

"It's been a month since I made First, and it's finally time to celebrate!" He bounced off to the kitchenette and rummaged around in the fridge. He pulled out three beers and handed them out.

"Zack..." Cloud looked at the cheap beer in his hand and held back a grimace. "I can't get drunk." He told his friend, trying to hand the beverage back.

"Huh?" Zack looked at Cloud for a moment before turning to Sephiroth. "What about you?" He asked, absently pushing the beer back in to Cloud's hand.

Sephiroth shrugged. "I've never tried." He admitted, regarding the beer with curiosity.

"Well then! Time to try." Zack announced before turning back to Cloud, "I'm sure there's _something_ that'll work on you..."

Cloud laughed and shook his head, handing the beer back to Zack, "I spent the last decade living in a bar." He told him, "I've probably tried everything available, and some things that haven't been made yet." He pointed out, "If Reno can't get me drunk, I very much doubt that you can."

"You used to drink with Reno?"

Cloud sat on the couch and looked up at Zack, "How do you always miss the point?" He questioned.

This was actually kind of nice. It had been a long time since they'd last all been together. It seemed like someone always had a mission to go on, or something came up. Cloud was glad that Zack had managed to get them all together like this. It was comfortable and after the last few days, Cloud found that he wanted to do nothing more than simply spend time with these men without having to worry about some end of the world bullshit for once.

He watched Zack's face go from disappointed to curious to disgruntled in a few short seconds and shrugged, "Sorry." He said. "But if I can't even get mako poisoning any more, I doubt that alcohol will work at all."

"Damn." Zack sighed and handed the beer to Sephiroth instead. The general just looked at the one already in his hand then back at Zack. "Man, I thought I was supposed to be the teenager." Zack muttered, opening one of the beers and guzzling it back. He put the empty on the table and opened the other one, sitting down on the couch. "C'mon Sephiroth, there's enough space for you too." He patted the cushion beside him, "Cloud's kinda tiny."

"Hey!" Why did it always come down to his height?

– – – – –

Zack had made a decent attempt at getting Sephiroth drunk, but just like Cloud had suspected, it hadn't worked. By early evening, Zack had consumed enough to be slightly buzzed, but the other two were stone cold sober. Cloud was a little regretful – it would have been nice to be able to use alcohol to let go – but the evening was still a good one.

Zack had dug out a dvd of some movie. Cloud hadn't seen many – it had seemed like a waste of power after Meteorfall, and he had no idea what movies he'd seen before hand. It hadn't seem important. Sephiroth simply never bothered.

Which meant that Zack had _insisted_ that they watched a few, and had even managed to extract a promise from the other two that this would become a semi-regular thing.

They were nearing the end of another movie – some sort of action film with very little plot – when Cloud's PHS rang. With a frown, he dug it out of his pocket, but there was nothing on the screen and his pocket was still vibrating.

It was the phone he'd got for Zeke to call him. With a start, he stood and quickly fled to the other room in Zack's mini apartment, closing the door behind him and answering quietly.

"Zeke?" Cloud was anxious, worried, terrified. He'd told the boy to only use this phone in case of emergency. It was dangerous to contact each other too much – there was no way that Cloud would let Zeke fall into the hands of Shinra, even if he had to take the entire company out by himself.

"Hey da, sorry to call but... _she_ needs to talk to us." There were only two beings in existence that Zeke would use that tone for, and Cloud's heart sunk to his stomach.

"I'll be right there." He said quietly, hanging up the phone.

He walked back in to the main room and gathered his sword. "I have to go somewhere." He told the other men, "Don't follow me." He warned, walking to the window. There was no way that he'd risk using the front door, not with where he was going. "Zack, leave your window open. I'll come back when I'm done."

He didn't wait for a reply before jumping.

– – – – – –


	17. A New Direction

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 17 – A New Direction

This was not something that he'd looked forward to. In fact, he'd hoped that he wouldn't have had to do this at all. He didn't want her to have anything to do with this, he wanted her to stay as innocent and care free as she possibly could. He wanted to work hard to make sure that she never had to face the dangers and uncertainty that she'd been through in his time.

But he had little doubt as to who Zeke had been talking about. There were only two entities that he would use that term and tone of voice for. One was Aerith, the other was the planet herself. Either way, Cloud knew where he had to go, and either way, he would end up speaking to Aerith.

She was there, of course, tending to her flowers. Above the plate, the sun had set a few hours ago, but it wasn't too late. He remembered her saying that she liked to stay with the flowers as long as she could, and that the church had been a calming and tranquil place for her.

When he walked through the doors, she looked up, a curious, then sad look on her face.

"Hello Cloud." She said, a soft smile playing at her lips.

She looked almost the same as he remembered her. Small, thin, but strong of will and heart. Her hair was the same as it always had been, and her green eyes looked at him with the same fondness. She was even wearing the same pink outfit that he'd seen her wear in their travels. If it wasn't for the fact that she looked younger, he may have mistaken her for his Aerith.

But... the way she was looking at him...

He took a few hesitant steps forward, vaguely noticing footsteps behind him. He paid them no mind, too caught up in seeing her alive for the first time in almost a decade. "Aerith..." He said quietly, swallowing the lump in his throat as he made his legs move forward, one at a time. Eventually, he was stood not far from her. He looked down at her, trying to keep his emotions in check.

And then, she said two words that brought him crashing down to his knees.

"I remember."

She caught him as he collapsed and knelt down with him, her hands moving from his shoulders to take his hands. "It's okay, Cloud." She said quietly, her voice for him only. He struggled to breathe through the crushing guilt and horror. How? How did she remember things that hadn't happened to her yet? "The planet gave me her-my memories." She was still speaking to him, but all Cloud could think was _why_. Why had the planet been so cruel? Why had it stripped away her innocence? Why had it showed her the horrors that their last journey had been full of.

"Cloud." Aerith's voice finally broke through the emotions enough for him to look at her. She was still smiling softly. She was so strong. She'd always been so damn strong. Even at the last minute. "Oh, you silly man." She scolded him lightly, pulling him into an embrace. "Are you still feeling guilty?" She tutted at him and he could feel her shaking her head. "Didn't I already tell you that you're forgiven?" She sighed, "Why does nobody ever listen to me?"

After a moment, she pulled back and stood, her hands on his shoulders bringing him to his feet too. "I'm sorry." He said, finally able to say it to her living face.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're already forgiven!" She slapped him lightly on the arm. "I know why you're here." She added, moving to sit on one of the pews. Cloud followed, still hardily believing what was happening.

After a few moments, they were joined by Zeke, who sat on the floor in front of them cross legged. He looked up at Aerith and she started to speak.

"You're not here for Sephiroth." She said, and Cloud straightened up, his eyes widening slightly. He wasn't? That was new. He hadn't even considered that possibility. "Well.. not directly." Aerith corrected herself.

"Then..?" He prompted.

"Jenova. Or... Jenova's... people. They're coming."

There was a silence for a moment before Aerith frowned and shook her head. "Maybe I should start from the beginning." She said, nodding to herself.

"You both know about the lifestream." When they nodded, she continued, "Well, the lifestream also connects other versions of the same planet together." She frowned, apparently confusing herself. She sighed, "It's hard to explain..."

"The timelines are separate." Cloud said softly, having figured this out already, "I've been to three separate timelines. The one that I come from, the one that Zack comes from -" He gestured to Zeke, "And this one."

"Right!" Aerith agreed brightly. She always made everything brighter. "Well, the planet can see them all. The lifestream runs through them all. As long as one of the timelines survives, the planet does too, and new timelines are created. If all but one timeline ends, then all the new ones come from that one. Does that make sense?" She asked, unsure.

Cloud nodded, and after a moment, Zeke did too. They waited for her to continue.

"Well, that might happen. In some of the timelines, we weren't in time to stop Meteorfall. In others Omega came and the world died." Cloud would have to ask about that later. He'd never heard of Omega before. But for now, he was going to let Aerith speak. It was so good to hear her speaking. "There aren't many left, and Jenova's people are on their way."

"So what do we need to do?" That was all it came down to, really. Or at least, he thought that that was all it had come down to.

A sad look fell onto Aerith's face, as Zeke spoke up. "Wait... does that mean that this is the only timeline that'll survive?" He asked quietly, "What about Tifa? Denzel? Marlene? What about Vincent and all the others?" Tears were falling from his eyes and suddenly he looked like the nine year old he truly was. He was afraid for his friends, for his family.

Cloud sunk down from the pew and wrapped his arms around his son, looking up at Aerith and pleading with her to tell them that Zeke was wrong. That when this was all done, they could go home. Instead, she slowly nodded, "That's right." She said quietly.

"Why this one?" Cloud found himself asking. "Hasn't our world been through enough?"

"The planet realised that there was no way to defeat them. Not in your timeline. It tried, but it saw that one wasn't enough." She was looking at Zeke, "I'm sorry." She said quietly, "But... the I'm the last of the Cetra, or I was. Normal humans wont be able to do anything to help and it took almost all of my people last time. But now... Zeke, you know you're Cetra, right?" Zeke nodded, "Which means that the Sephiroth of this world is one too. The planet used most of her strength to bring you two together, and then to bring you here. She can't gather enough energy to send anybody else. So... it's up to us."

"How are we supposed to beat them?" Cloud asked. Even though he wasn't Cetra, there was no way he was leaving them alone. No way he'd let them fight without him. Not this time. He was planning on fighting in any way he could.

"First, we need to stop the Jenova that's already here." She said, "After that... I'm not sure yet."

"Okay..." Cloud shifted to pull Zeke on to his lap, to hold him close like he had when Zeke had been a baby. "I get that you need more Cetra, and Sephiroth was made to be one," he said slowly, "But why me?" He asked, "I'm not Cetra."

Aerith shook her head and thought for a moment, finger on the corner of her mouth. She seemed like she was listening to something – and Cloud realised that she was. The planet was talking to her. She frowned before an understanding smile crossed her lips.

"Because you are Nexis." She said quietly, "Intertwined." Cloud just looked at her blankly and she wrinkled her face, thinking on her next words. "Sometimes, rarely, when a person returns to the planet, their connection to someone they love is so strong that it can break the barrier between death. Your souls are so connected, that the even the planet can't keep them apart."

"Like when you would... talk to me?" Cloud asked, trying to understand.

Aerith shook her head, "Not... exactly. The bond between the two of you is how Sephiroth kept coming back. His soul called out to yours and found you, he used it as an anchor to come back."

Zeke looked between them for a moment, "What, like...Soul mates?"

Cloud looked down at his son, frowning. That had some... connotations that he didn't want to think about. He looked at Aerith, hoping that she would deny it.

"That's an old way of thinking about it." She said with a small nod, "But it's not always romantic." She assured Cloud, "Sometimes it's love: between a parent and child, between brothers, comrades, friends. Sometimes it is romantic. Some time's it's not love, but a hate so strong that it burns at the soul."

"So... functionally, as long as I'm around, Sephiroth will keep coming back?" Cloud asked, now understanding why he was needed. If one of them fell, they would come back to him. As disturbing as that thought was, it was also kind of comforting. He held his boy a little tighter.

"If their will to return is strong enough." Aerith said, "If they _want_ to come back. They have to want to come back so completely that it all but consumes them."

Cloud nodded. He was still a little thrown by the whole _soul mates_ thing. It certainly explained a few things. Like how one of his first thoughts was that he needed to get close to Sephiroth. The desire to know him, to be friends with him. His complete reluctance to hurt him. It also explained Sephiroth's feelings towards him and his own complicated feelings. If their souls were... connected through strong emotion, then Cloud would much rather it be this than hate.

He looked down at his boy. It explained things there too. How quickly he'd grown attached to him, how quickly he loved him. And how much he'd missed him. He squeezed slightly and felt Zeke squeeze his arm in return.

Aerith smiled softly at them. "It's rare. Very rare. But we can use it." She said quietly, "I can teach you how to use it. If you know how to do it, you can use the connection to find each other, to protect each other." She tilted her head to the side and nodded.

"But we have a more important mission." She said quietly, "We have to find a way to completely destroy Jenova. I can't do it like I did in your time." She said, "I can't make the rain from here."

So she would have to be dead to do things that way again. Cloud wouldn't let that happen. Not a chance. Not again.

"We'll find another way." Cloud promised, meaning every word.

Aerith nodded with a smile, "We need to find a way to destroy her _without_ her returning to the lifestream." She added, "She took over a host, the body was Cetra before she took it." She told them. "If we kill the host, Jenova will return with her to the lifestream."

That... made things trickier. How do you kill something without actually killing it? How do you stop a living thing from returning to the lifestream. Cloud had no idea, and if Aerith didn't know, he didn't know who would.

He nodded anyway. They would think of something.

Zeke shifted slightly in Cloud's lap and looked up at his dad, "Do you think... maybe there might be some information in the labs?" He asked quietly. Neither of them wanted Cloud to get close to the labs, they both knew how risky it was, but it was the only lead they had.

"I can't say for sure, but I'll think of a way of finding out."

– – – – – –

Zack and Sephiroth were both waiting for Cloud when he let himself back in through Zack's window. They waited for him to get inside before turning to him, expectant looks on their faces. They probably wanted an explanation for his sudden disappearance.

"Uh..." How did he explain _any_ of what he'd just found out. He sighed and went to the mini fridge. He retrieved a beer and handed it to Zack before sitting down on the couch. "You both know where I'm from." He said quietly.

The other two looked at each other, and shrugged, " _When_ you're from, you mean?" Sephiroth asked, re-taking his seat beside Cloud.

"Yeah. Well... I found out why I'm here. What my mission is." He said, "But... If I tell you guys, I'll have to give some background." He turned to Sephiroth, "About Jenova."

There was a pause as Sephiroth thought. He looked at Cloud, then at Zack before giving a single, hesitant nod.

"What's Jenova?" Zack asked, sitting on the floor in front of the couch. He took a long drink from his beer.

"Two thousand years ago, something fell from the sky." Cloud started, "The Cetra- the Ancients – called it the Calamity. From what I can figure out, it was some sort of virus that infected the Cetra. It turned some to monsters and just killed others. It took nearly all the Cetra to contain it to the northern crater." The other two seemed to be keeping up so far, "A little under thirty years ago, Shinra scientists discovered the last remaining host of the Calamity and called her Jenova. They realised that she was an Ancient and decided to try to bring them back."

"Why?" Zack asked.

"Because legend states that the Cetra know the way to the promised land. A land of beauty where the lifestream is all around. Shinra wants to find it to tap it as a resource." It was an awful plan, and there was no way it could work. Cloud just smirked. "I've been there, I think." He told them, "It's the place that people go when they die – before they rejoin the lifestream." At least, that was his working theory. It made sense, and he was convinced that Aerith's otherworldly garden was the promised land. "You can't get there without either dying or being taken there by a Cetra who already died."

"And you knew a Cetra that died?" Sephiroth asked.

Cloud nodded, "Technically two." He said.

"Okay, so Shinra was trying to make new Cetra using this Jenova thing." Zack prompted, "How did that turn out?"

Cloud looked at Sephiroth who shrugged. "I'm not Cetra." He pointed out and Cloud grimaced slightly before shaking his head.

"Yeah." He told him, "You kind of are. You just can't hear the planet because Jenova's blocking you. She's... kind of telepathic, and she has the ability to control people with her cells. If they let her."

They both looked at him, Zack with more questions, and Sephiroth with an answer. Cloud sighed and continued.

"There were a few experiments done on how to use her to make people Cetra. They thought they'd failed because none of the children could speak to the planet."

"Children!" Zack's eyes widened, "Shinra were experimenting on _children_!?"

Cloud blinked. How had Zack not known this? Hadn't Cloud told him? He couldn't quite remember what he'd told Zack and what he hadn't. Sephiroth spoke up before Cloud did.

"Not just children." He said quietly, "Apparently the experimentation done on me began before I was born." Zack's eyes somehow got wider and he stared at Sephiroth.

"The kids weren't able to speak to the planet, but they _were_ enhanced. Strength. Intelligence. Agility. Speed. Height. Looks. Even their rate of growth was accelerated. They used that knowledge to continue experimenting until they found a way for it to work on older humans. Then, they created the SOLDIER project."

"So wait... the serum they inject SOLDIERs with..." Zack didn't seem to want to end his sentence, so Cloud nodded.

"Contains inactive J-Cells. Jenova cells." He confirmed. "Sephiroth and the other kids had active J-Cells introduced at different times of gestation."

"So Jenova could control any of the SOLDIERs?" Zack was paling a little and he guzzled down the rest of his beer.

Cloud shook his head, "No. The cells need to be active. She can't control dead cells. You also have to have a large number of them." The more, the better.

"But you said she could control you." Sephiroth pointed out.

"And you said you'd failed to get in to SOLDIER your first time..." Zack added.

Cloud nodded and took a breath. This was the part he hadn't exactly wanted to tell them. "I told you I spent four years in Hojo's lab?" He asked Zack, who nodded, "Sephiroth was... dead..." He grimaced as he felt the man shift beside him, "Hojo wanted to make copies of him. I... I'm a failed Sephiroth clone. I got my enhancements from the experiments, and I have active J-Cells and S-Cells – Sephiroth Cells."

There was silence for a moment, as the others processed what he had said. Cloud felt anxious, nervous as to their reactions, but neither men regarded him any differently. Beside him, Sephiroth spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "I will kill him." He announced.

Shocked, Cloud turned to Sephiroth. The man had a dark look on his face and Cloud didn't doubt that Sephiroth wanted to march up to the science department and run Hojo through right away. Cloud just shook his head, resting a hand on Sephiroth's arm. The man relaxed a little and looked at him.

"No. We... actually need him." He grimaced at the words. "I've been sent here to take out Jenova, but to do so in such a way that she doesn't enter the lifestream. She'll pollute it, and the planet won't have the strength to fight it off. She'll poison the planet, people will get sick and die... And we can't access the cure in this timeline."

"Okay..." Zack said slowly, "So why do we need Hojo?"

"Because he's the leading expert on Jenova." Cloud said, "He's pretty much the only source of information we have on her this side of Nibelheim."

"There's information in Nibelheim? Perhaps we should go there first?" Sephiroth questioned, if they could figure this out without Hojo, all the better. But Cloud shook his head.

"No. Jenova is there. I don't want any of us going anywhere near her until we know how to stop her. The last time... the last time you went there you..." He shook his head, "I had to kill you." He told him, "You went insane and burned the town down."

There was a hand on his arm now, and Cloud looked over to Sephiroth. For once, he couldn't read the emotions on the man's face, but he was reassured when Sephiroth nodded.

"Then I'll go and... speak with him." Sephiroth offered, "I'm sure I could _persuade_ him to answer some questions."

It was an idea. Sephiroth often had to go to the science department. As far as Cloud knew, he would receive monthly check ups from Hojo himself. It wouldn't raise suspicion if Sephiroth went up there. It was a way in but...

"No." He said quietly, still thinking. "I don't want Hojo to know that you know anything about this. Not yet. It could be dangerous. I'll go."

"But wont Hojo do nasty things if you go up there? He's been wanting to get a hold of you for a while, to test you and stuff?" Zack put his empty beer bottle aside and watched Cloud expectantly.

He just shrugged, "I spent ten years travelling and fighting along side an ex-Turk. He trained me in infiltration and stealth. I'm no Turk, but I can probably get myself out of there easy enough."

"You know... one day you'll have to tell us everything." Sephiroth murmured. "I have a lot of curiosities about your life."

"When I've finished my mission..." Cloud said softly, "I'll be stuck in this timeline. After the mission... I'll answer all your questions."

"Does that mean you won't be able to go home?" Zack asked quietly and Cloud nodded, "But... what about -" He looked at Sephiroth then back at Cloud, "-What about your family?"

Cloud just shook his head and turned away. He didn't want to say it out loud. Saying it out loud made it true, made it real. He wasn't ready for that yet. At least he had Zeke. But until Shinra was brought down, or the entire science staff gone, Cloud couldn't trust anybody to know that. Not even his friends.

"If I don't complete my mission," He said instead, "The planet and everything on it will die."

Silence fell again, both men regarding him solemnly. "That's... heavy man." Zack let out a sigh, "But... we've got your back. You're not alone in this." Beside him, Sephiroth nodded.

Maybe.. maybe that would be enough.

– – – – – – –


	18. A New Perspective

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 18 – A New Perspective

Before he could infiltrate the Science Department, Cloud had been sent on his first solo mission. He was supposed to be gone for five days. After the seventh day, Zack began to worry. He marched his way into Sephiroth's office, not bothering to knock – his worry was more important than etiquette right now – and stomped up to Sephiroth's desk.

The man behind it lifted his had to regard Zack. "It seems I may need a lock on my door." He muttered. Zack didn't bother responding to that. Instead, he threw himself down on the seat in front of the desk and looked at his friend.

"Cloud's still not back." He said, "He was supposed to be back two days ago." Worry leaked into his tone and Zack really didn't care to stop it. He'd always worn his emotions on his sleeve and it'd helped him in the past. Why stop now?

Sephiroth frowned and moved some papers on his desk, looking for a specific one. "He shouldn't have had any problems..." He said quietly, reading through the mission brief. "He was sent to investigate and remove a monster nest on the northern continent..."

Zack nodded. That shouldn't have been a problem for Cloud. The man could take on Sephiroth and win – a few monsters wouldn't be a problem. "So... do we go after him?" Zack asked, shifting in his seat. He wanted to get up, to do _something_ , anything to help find his friend.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Sometimes, a mission doesn't go as planned." He pointed out, "There could have been delays."

"So what!? We just sit here and twiddle our thumbs?" Zack was on his feet again, the nervous energy burning through him. He began to pace, to let some of it out.

"No." Sephiroth shuffled his papers into a pile and stood, putting his pen down. "I will speak with the director, find out what's going on." He stepped around the desk and put a hand on Zack's shoulder. "In the meantime, find something to distract yourself. He may simply be snowed in." While Sephiroth's tone was trying to be soothing, Zack could tell that Sephiroth was worried too.

Zack nodded. Distract himself. Okay. He could try to do that. "Call me." He ordered, "If you hear _anything_." When Sephiroth nodded, Zack let himself out of the office.

– – – – – – –

Zack was pretty sure that he was the only person that lived above plate that found the slums comforting. The bustle of people minding their own business, and the general atmosphere wasn't something that most people would find soothing. But for Zack, being in the slums meant that he was going to see Aerith.

Or at least, that had been the plan. He'd barely made it off the train when a young man ran up to him, skidding to a halt in front of him. 

"Woah!" Zack took half a step back in surprise. "Hey kid, you okay?"

The youth shook his head rapidly, hand coming up to stabilise the hat on his head. "No. You're Zack, right?" He asked. Zack nodded and the boy continued. "Cloud said that if I needed help and I couldn't find him, I should look for you."

That was a surprise. Zack hadn't realised that Cloud had known any of the slum kids. But that would explain where he'd been disappearing to whenever he thought Zack wasn't looking. "Okay." If Cloud had told the boy that he'd help him, then he'd help. "How can I help?" This would be plenty distraction from the current situation, right?

"Cloud's missing." the boy said, and Zack frowned and nodded.

"Yeah, but we're looking for him." Zack tried to assure the boy, "His mission just got delayed a little, that's all." He could do comforting, right? This really wasn't his forte, but he could at least try for the kid. Be reassuring, even if he didn't believe it himself. There was no need for the kid to be worried too.

"I think I know where he is."

Okay, so that was unexpected. Zack felt his eyes widen a little and he bounced on his heels. "How?"

The kid reached up and scratched the back of his neck, a habit that Zack had seen in Cloud when he hadn't known how to explain things. Whoever he was, this kid had spent a lot of time around Cloud.

"You won't believe me." The kid muttered, "But the planet told me."

That wasn't the most outlandish thing Zack had ever heard, and he wanted to believe the kid, he really did but... "So where do you think he is?" He could humour the kid. He might give Zack a lead after all.

"Nibelheim."

Okay. This was getting a little creepy. Wasn't Nibelheim the town that they should never ever go to? Wasn't that creepy monster, mother of all SOLDIER, thing there? "Why would Cloud go to Nibelheim?" Zack wondered out loud.

"It wasn't by choice!" The kid was getting worked up now, he was clenching and unclenching his fists, apparently trying to stay calm. "Hojo has him!"

With those words, Zack froze. What did this kid know? He knew Cloud, but the man was very good at _not_ telling people things. Had this kid worked out what was going on, or had Cloud told him? Why tell a kid?

"He called me," The kid continued, "To let me know he was on a mission and wouldn't come down for a while. He said that it was easy and that he'd be okay. But then I heard something. Before the call disconnected, Cloud said Hojo's name." Now the boy was pacing, letting some of his emotions out in the simple, repetitive motion.

"Thanks for the info kid." Zack said, "I'll look for him. I'll bring him back." He wasn't sure if he was promising that to himself, or to the kid. The idea of going to Nibelheim scared him, but not as much as the thought of Cloud already being there did.

He as about to walk away when his hand was grabbed in a surprisingly strong grip. "I'm coming too." The kid said, "If you wont take me, I'll find my own way there, and Cloud would be super pissed if you let me."

Who _was_ this kid? For a minute, Zack had thought that maybe he was Cloud's son, but his eyes were brown and this kid was definitely older than five. But it didn't really matter. If Cloud really did know this kid, then he probably would be pissed if Zack let him go by himself.

"Okay." He said, giving in. "I'll come and get you before we head out. Where can I find you?"

"There's a house in sector five. Look for the flowers." With that, the kid turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Well. Hadn't that been strange?

– – – – – – –

He was on his way back to Sephiroth's office when his PHS beeped. He read the message while riding the elevator and was glad that he hadn't been moving under his own power and could lean against the railing. On the screen, in tiny letters, was the one message that he hadn't wanted to receive.

Cloud was officially missing in action.

When the elevator stopped, he all but ran into Sephiroth's office. "I have a lead." He said, not bothering with pleasantries. "Apparently there's a kid in the slums that Cloud knows. He said he was on the phone to Cloud and they got cut off." Sephiroth was listening, waiting for the actual lead, "He said Hojo's name before the call dropped. The kid said that he thinks Cloud's in Nibelheim."

Zack knew that he'd been speaking fast, but this nervous energy wouldn't leave until he was actively doing something to help. His worry for his friend had increased tenfold and was actually making Zack feel sick.

Sephiroth leaned against his desk, his arms folded over his chest as he thought, a sea of calm in the face of Zack's restlessness.

"We have to go after him!" Zack cried when Sephiroth had been quiet for too long. Was the man thinking of leaving him behind? Hoping for the best? Sending others to find him? No. Zack knew that they had to go. Their lead was flimsy at best, but it was a _lead._ Zack didn't care if it was a thin one, it was something to go on. If they went to Nibelheim and found nothing, then at least they would know that Cloud wasn't there. And something made him want to believe the kid that had told him. Maybe it was just hope and optimism, but Zack just _knew_ the boy was right.

"Obviously." Sephiroth answered, face still frowning in thought. "But it would do us little good to get stopped by bureaucracy. You don't send both of your best combatants to find one man. It's unlikely that we'll be let go so easily... Then there's the matter of getting to Nibelheim."

"Where is it anyway?" Zack had never bothered to look. From the way Cloud had talked about it, it seemed like it was a long way away. But of course, Sephiroth had looked into it. He was told he should avoid the place, and would make sure to know exactly where he was avoiding.

A world map was placed on the desk and Sephiroth pointed to the town's location. The western continent. Surrounded by mountains. Great. "Looks cold." Zack muttered. "Okay, then how are we going to get there?"

"We need a plausible reason." Sephiroth said, pulling his own PHS out of his pocket and scrolling down the menu. "There is a mission at the reactor." He told Zack. "Come with me."

– – – – – – – –

Director Lazard seemed surprised to see them both, but it wasn't long before his features softened into pity. "I told you Sephiroth," He said, "I can't let you go on a wild goose chase."

"We're taking this mission." Sephiroth handed his phone over and Lazard raised an eyebrow.

"It hardily needs both of you." the director handed the phone back and stood, looking from one to the next. The looks on their faces must have been quite something, because after a beat, the director sighed. "But it wouldn't hurt moral, I suppose. Very well. You leave in the morning. Helicopter Pad six."

Sephiroth didn't say anything else, just left the room, Zack quickly following him.

– – – – – –

Sector five. Look for the flowers. Sector five, look for the flowers... Zack was wondering around a little aimlessly, looking into people's windows to see if any of the houses had flowers in them. Eventually, he stopped a random passer by, realising that his current strategy was taking too long. "Hey, I'm looking for a kid." He said, "He told me to look for the house with the flowers..?"

If Zack hadn't already been seen around the slums a lot lately, the man might not have helped. But as it was, Zack was known around the area and people were less suspicious of him now, even though he wore a SOLDIER uniform. "Ah. Elmyra's place. Through the alley," The man pointed and then scuttled away. Just because Zack was known to be a decent person, didn't mean that the locals wanted to be around him. He was kind of used to it by now.

After that, it didn't take long for Zack to find the house that he'd been looking for. It was surrounded by flowers of all different kinds and he stopped to stare at them for a moment.

"Are we leaving?" The voice belonged to the kid he'd met earlier and Zack looked around for him. There was a soft thump, as the kid landed in front of him. Had he been sitting on the roof? This kid was weird.

Zack nodded, "Yeah." It was very early in the morning, "In about twenty minutes. C'mon." He still wasn't sure if he should be bringing the kid along – or how he was going to tell Sephiroth – but he'd said he would, and he was sure the kid really would wonder off on his own and probably get himself killed. Cloud would definitely not be happy if that happened. At least this way, Zack could keep an eye on him.

"Hang on." The kid ran to the front door of the small house and knocked. After a moment it opened and revealed Aerith. She walked out the door and closed it quietly, tiptoeing up to Zack. She was wearing a pink dress, with a darker pink jacket. Zack couldn't help but think that it suited her.

"Hello Zack." She said brightly, adjusting the pole she wore on her back. "Is it time to go?"

What? Aerith wanted to come too? No. That was a bad idea. "What?" He asked, looking down at the two people in front of him. The kid rolled his eyes and started to walk away. "Hey wait!"

Aerith followed the kid, flashing a smile at Zack. "I'm supposed to come along." She said. "I don't expect you to understand, but it's okay. I can help." She looped her arm through Zack's and started pulling him along. "Zeke!" She called out, "Don't wonder off too far. Your father would be very upset if I lost you!"

The kid – Zeke – was back with them in a moment. "I can look after myself." He pouted, and Aerith placed a hand on his head with a smile, "I know. But you know how he worries."

"Hold on." Zack stopped, and Aerith couldn't get him to move again. Sometimes having super strength came in handy, even outside of combat. "This is a bad idea." He looked at Aerith and then at Zeke. "This is going to be dangerous. I can't take you guys knowingly into danger!"

Aerith tilted her head to one side, a sly smile on her face. "But if you don't take us, then we'll have to go on our own." She told him, "And it's a long way to Nibelheim. We'd have to go through Junon, Costa Del Sol, Cosmo Canyon... It could take us weeks just to get there, not to mention all the monster attacks on the way..."

That was sneaky, and mean, and vindictive. Zack frowned. He believed her – that they would go without him if they had to – he wasn't sure why she would go all that way for someone that had been avoiding her and she'd probably never met though. Maybe it was the kid that was driving her to do this?

"Why?"

"Because Cloud needs our help." She said simply.

And that explained everything. Aerith was someone who would always do everything they could to help someone, anyone. If there was a way, she would find it, and she would do it. She was too kind for her own good, and it was probably what had gotten her killed in Cloud's time.

But she was also determined. He'd long learned not to stand in her way when she'd decided to do something. All he could do, was go along and protect her as best he could. "Okay." He finally gave in, not really having much of a choice. "But we have to hurry." He looked at the time, "The helicopter leaves soon."

– – – – – – – –

There had been some hesitation when exiting the train to the plate. Aerith's steps had faltered and she'd taken a hold of Zack's arm in a tight grip. Once on the platform, she shyly raised her head, and Zack was reminded that she'd never seen the sky, and that it frightened her.

On her other side, Zeke's hand slipped in to hers and he smiled at her.

"Okay." She said with a deep breath and a nod. "Aren't we in a hurry?"

– – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth hadn't been pleased with taking two civilians with them, but Zack had insisted and they really did have a time constraint. "Very well." He'd said eventually, "But you're responsible for their safety."

He turned to the two in question, "And you will follow our orders." He told them, "Do what we tell you, when we tell you, no questions. Is that understood?" Both of them nodded and Sephiroth seemed satisfied.

"What do people call you?" He asked, his tone a little less irritated.

Zack hadn't meant to make Sephiroth grumpy. He hadn't really had much of a choice about bringing them along.

He tuned out the others and watched the scenery pass by and wondered how his life had come to this.

– – – – – – – – –

Zack had been right. Nibelheim _was_ cold. The snow blew in from the mountains and the wind battered the town. He pulled his arms across his chest and looked around. It was tiny. There were maybe a dozen houses and an inn. Zack couldn't even see a shop.

"So..." Sephiroth said slowly, "This is my home town..." His voice had a hint of wonder, and disappointment. That's right. Sephiroth had grown up thinking that he didn't have a home town, but Cloud had told him that he'd actually been born here, right?

"I like mine better," Zack muttered, "It's warmer."

"Should've brought better clothes." Zeke muttered beside him, also looking around. His face held the same expression as Sephiroth's as his eyes flickered from building to building. "This way." He didn't wait for their replies before heading off to the back of the town. Once again, he didn't give them much of a choice, and the other three found themselves following him.

– – – – – – –

The mansion stood alone. It was bigger than any house in the village, possibly even bigger than them all put together. It was pretentious and unnecessary. "Shinra Mansion." Aerith said beside him.

Okay, he was totally going to have to ask her how she knew all this stuff. Later though. After they'd found Cloud.

Zeke hadn't even bothered waiting for them before throwing the doors open and striding inside. A tell tale pitter-patter told Zack that there were monsters inside and he chased after the boy. Luckily, they weren't the first inside. Across the floor were the corpses of a few monsters, their bodies slowly dissolving into nothing.

Zeke was already at the top of the stairs, and Zack rushed to catch up to him, following him inside a small bedroom in time to see him open a secret passage. "Woah..." He reached out and snagged the back of Zeke's shirt, almost dislodging the scarf the boy wore. "Hang on. It looks dangerous down there." Behind him, he could hear the arrival of the other two.

"Zack will go first." Sephiroth said, "I will bring up the rear."

He hadn't said much since arriving, but Zack could hear the tension in his voice. Was he afraid? Cloud had said some pretty bad stuff had happened here, and that Jenova could control Sephiroth, and that she was here, and that last time Sephiroth had been here, he'd gone insane and burned the place down.

Okay, so Sephiroth had a good reason to be uncomfortable. But it would be okay. Zack was here this time, he'd help Sephiroth through it all and make sure that he didn't go crazy.

He took the spiral staircase down, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. A light appeared behind him, and he turned his head to see Aerith holding a glowing ball of materia. Smart. Zack wouldn't have thought to use it like that. He was keeping his senses open, there was a good chance that there were monsters here.

The stairs ended at a corridor and Zack lead the others along it, he was about to check the first door when Aerith put her hand on his shoulder, "Keep going." She said, "End of the hall." This time, Zack wasn't even going to question her. He just did as she said and kept going. There would be time for questions later.

The hallway opened up into what looked like a lab and a library. After the dark corridor, the bright sterile lights hurt his eyes a little, but he didn't dare close them. In the corner of the room were a pair of large cylinders filled with green liquid and floating in one of them, was Cloud. Without thinking, Zack rushed towards him, finding the keypad and managing to open the pod. Mako spilled across the room and all over Zack, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the blonde man who fell in to his arms.

"Cloud! Buddy, you're alright, we're here! We found you!" There was no response. It looked like Cloud was unconscious. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Cloud, Zack would've suspected mako poisoning. "What's he done to you...?" He asked, slowly lowering themselves down so that he could put Cloud on the floor. His arms hadn't been in the best of positions and had been starting to cramp up. He didn't want to drop his friend.

He felt movement beside him as Aerith knelt down on the other side of Cloud. She'd had her staff in her hands and she placed it on the floor. "Silly Cloud." She said with a sigh, "What have you gotten yourself in to this time?" She closed her eyes and held her hands above him, a white lite forming between them.

Zack's eyes widened and he was so distracted by Aerith's sudden show of ability that he hadn't realised that their little party was no longer alone until he heard a strartled yelp.

In seconds, he was on his feet and turned around, Buster Sword already drawn. Beside him, Sephiroth had reacted in a similar manner and they turned on their new enemy.

Hojo had apparently come up behind them. Somehow, he'd managed to grab Zeke from behind and he held him against his chest. "What do we have here?" The scientist asked, cackling. "You've come for-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Zeke's eyes flashed briefly and he moved, faster than anybody was expecting. His head slammed back into Hojo's nose, which caused the man to loosen his grip enough for Zeke to land an elbow to the gut and a fist to the face. Once fully let go, the boy took one step forward and spun, a sword suddenly drawn and in his left hand, it's tip pressed against Hojo's throat.

So maybe the kid really could look after himself... Zack hadn't even been aware that he'd been armed. Where had he hidden that sword? And why was it so familiar?

The look on Hojo's face was pure terror. He'd attempted to back away, but Zeke expertly manipulated him in to a corner where he couldn't escape. The boy's arm drew back, readying a strike.

"Disarm!" The order came from behind them. It was Cloud's voice! "Zeke, disarm." He said slowly. Zack wanted to turn around, to see his friend awake and well, but he wouldn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him. He might be needed to react quickly, and he didn't want to be distracted again.

The boy wavered, his sword moving slightly as he hesitated to follow the orders. "Zack Strife put your weapon down!" The order came again, and suddenly the sword was gone. It didn't clatter to the ground like Zack expected, it just... disappeared. More questions for later.

But instead of simply backing off, Zeke pulled his arm back and landed a blow to Hojo's head, rendering the man unconscious. After a few seconds (and a few kicks to the scientist's side), Zeke deemed the battle over. He spun around, "Dad!" He called and threw himself down to his knees beside Cloud.

Zack's eyes widened as he stared at the kid. Cloud had gathered him up in his arms and Zeke was clinging on to the man.

Wasn't Cloud's son like.. five? There was no way this kid was that young. Fifteen, sixteen maybe, but definitely not five. He also had brown eyes. Hadn't Cloud said that his son was another Sephiroth? Sephiroth's eyes were green. Zack was starting to get a headache from all the questions forming in his brain. Or maybe that was just the mako still clinging to his clothes.

It did explain why the kid was always wearing a hat though. Silver hair wasn't exactly common, and it would have probably brought up too many questions. Zack had a few of those himself. But they could wait until the current threat was resolved. He moved to stand by Sephiroth, both of them keeping an eye on Hojo.

"Hey buddy," Cloud greeted Zeke, "What are you doing here?" He allowed the boy to help him up and looked around. "What are any of you doing here...?"

"We came to look for you, silly." Aerith took Cloud's other arm and looped it around her shoulders. With Zeke on the other side, Cloud was now a lot more mobile. "We should get out of here." Aerith continued, "I don't like this place."

Cloud nodded, and slowly they made their way back to the mansion, and then back to the town. Sephiroth took a moment to tie up Hojo and literally dragged him behind them by his ankles. He seemed to take great pleasure in hearing Hojo's head hit every step on the spiral staircase and Zack once again reminded himself never to piss Sephiroth off.

– – – – – – – – –


	19. A New Party

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 19 – A New Party

It was exactly like his nightmares. The sea of green pressing against him, crushing him, invading his lungs, his body, filtering the world through a green haze. He couldn't move, his body wouldn't follow any of his commands. Beyond the green, beyond the glass, he could see that face, the man who wouldn't stay dead, who haunted his every sleeping moment.

Cloud tried to call out, to reach up and break the glass, but he couldn't. His body was paralysed, able to do nothing but float. All he could do was watch Hojo, listen to his voice muffled by mako and glass.

Cloud tried desperately to wake up.

– – – – – – –

Time didn't have meaning in the mako tubes. It could have been hours, it could have been years. Cloud didn't know how long he'd been there, or if anyone had even noticed he was missing. His mission was supposed to take five days, but he'd never even made it to the Northern Continent. It would be days before anybody realised he was gone, days before anybody would come looking for him. If they did at all.

He needed help. He wasn't stupid and his ego wasn't too big for him to admit that. He needed to alert someone that he had been captured, that Hojo had him. That he was in trouble. But he couldn't move. He couldn't call anyone.

Hadn't Aerith said something about a connection between him and Sephiroth? Something about being able to find each other? Maybe he could use that? But Cloud had no idea how. It was too difficult to think in the tank, he couldn't keep his thoughts in order.

Maybe it was like Jenova. The way she'd called to the rest of her cells. Maybe he could try doing something like that? He'd felt the call, knew what it was like to hear the beckoning. But how did you do that the other way around?

First, he had to relax. Panic wasn't going to help anything. He had a plan now. Focus on that. Focus. He tried to think of Sephiroth, of the man that he'd been through so much with in so many different times. He tried to feel out to him... but his feelings were a jumbled. He had no idea what he felt towards the man, it was all just a confused mess. He needed to use his emotions, but if he didn't know what they were...

An image popped into his head. Not of a man in his twenties, not of the seasoned warrior. But of a small boy, smiling up at him and showing him his new stuffed chocobo. Of a boy, two years old, learning how to tend to flowers. His mind showed him the young man who had come back into his life so recently and he knew. He knew what he felt for that boy.

With everything he had, he concentrated on that, letting his love flow through him. He didn't know what to do with it, but he could try to get the message out. Hopefully Zeke would send help.

– – – – – – –

Cold. The first thing he noticed was that he was cold. His skin seemed to be wet and he was laying on freezing concrete. But there was a warmth blossoming in his chest, moving quickly and reaching for his extremities, bringing feeling back in to them. With the feeling, came the itching. It was a familiar sensation, one that he'd hoped to never feel again.

Had he been poisoned by mako? What had happened?

He could hear voices. No longer muffled by glass and mako. Was he out of the tanks? He concentrated on the voices. There was a woman... no... He ignored that one. The others... his friends?

His eyes. He could open them. Slowly, he did and he heard a small gasp beside him. Aerith. His eyes looked for hers, but they were looking elsewhere. He followed them and the sight before him was enough to shake him out of his shock.

"Disarm!" He found himself shouting. Zeke was stood with his sword at Hojo's throat. Cloud didn't really blame the boy, but he also didn't want his son to become a killer. The boy had been through enough in his life, he didn't need that kind of guilt. "Zeke, Disarm."

The boy wavered, but didn't do as he was told. "Zack Strife, put your weapon down!" He forced his voice to be stronger than he felt. He needed to get through to him. Sephiroth and Zack were on either side of him, both watching Hojo intently, ready to strike if they needed to.

His tone, or maybe the use of the boys full name, finally got through and Zeke disappeared his weapon and knocked the scientist out. He turned and rushing at him. "Dad!" The voice was full of relief, and with Aerith's help, Cloud sat up in time to catch the boy in his arms.

"Hey buddy," He used shaking limbs to pull the boy on to his lap, "What're you doing here?" Zeke scrambled out of his lap and he and Aerith helped Cloud up. That was when it truly clicked for him just who was in the room. "What are any of you doing here?" He'd intended on Zeke calling for help. He didn't expect that Shinra would send their best SOLDIER's after him.

"We came to look for you, silly." Aerith said, taking his arm and putting it around her shoulders. On his other side, Zeke did the same. "We should get out of here. I don't like this place."

Cloud didn't like this place either. And he certainly didn't like any of his friends being here. Too many memories were wrapped up in this place. Too many bad memories.

He let the others help him walk. He was still feeling pretty groggy and out of it, and his skin was burning with a thousand itches.

– – – – – – – –

The second they got in to the inn, Cloud headed straight for the bathroom, stripping as he went. He needed a shower, to get all the mako off him. He'd been in the room less than a minute when the door opened and Zack walked in. "The others are worried you'll collapse." He said, "Given everything that's going on... I figured I'd be the person you'd be least uncomfortable with keeping watch- I mean, making sure that you're not gonna fall down and break your head open or drown or something -not watching _watching_."

Cloud couldn't help the tired chuckle. Zack was still Zack. "I get it." He told the floundering man. There was a shower curtain between them anyway. "You should probably wash up when I'm done too." He told him, remembering how Zack had been covered in mako too.

"I feel fine." There was a question in that tone of voice. "How come you weren't?" He asked quietly, "I mean, you're immune to mako poisoning, right? So how come you were out cold when we got to you?"

It was a good question, but Cloud was just too tired to think of an answer. His head was pounding and there was still that small voice in the back of his head. It was telling him to take revenge, to kill Hojo. To lock him in his lab and burn it down.

Shaking his head, he ignored the voice, taking a breath. "I don't know, Zack." He told the other man, "I'm too tired to think right now." Really, he shouldn't have been this tired.

He shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, smirking slightly as Zack averted his gaze and handed Cloud a towel. "I uh- I should go find you something to wear." He muttered, inching his way towards the door. Cloud just let him go, wondering how a military man could be so embarrassed about a naked body.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, Cloud walked in to the room that they had apparently rented. His friends were gathered there. Sephiroth, Aerith, Zeke.

His head pounded and he raised a hand to it, grimacing, as he made his way to sit on a bed. When he opened his eyes, he noticed a pinched look on Sephiroth's face and a determined one on Zeke's. So they could feel it too. It had taken Cloud a minute or two to place the feeling, but now he knew.

"That's Jenova." Cloud told the two silver haired males. "Pushing up against your mind, trying to break her way in. Any negative thoughts, and she'll latch on to them." He rubbed at the back of his head and leaned heavily against the headboard.

There was a dip in the bed and a timid hand came to rest on his chest, above his heart. Cloud turned his gaze to the hand and followed it up to the arm, to Zeke. "Hey buddy," He said quietly, reaching forward and pulling his boy into his lap again. This time, Zeke stayed there, his head resting on Cloud's chest.

"I heard you." He said quietly, his voice hitching and trembling, "You called out to me and I heard you and I didn't know where you were and I saw Hojo and green and then I thought you might be here and I didn't know what to do and I went to Zack -like you told me to if I needed help - and you weren't there and I didn't know how to get him to believe me and come here so I told him that the planet had told me where to find you and that I had to come too and that if he left me behind I'd come on my own and that you'd be mad and I lied to him and said that I would probably get hurt-"

He had to stop his rambling long enough to take a breath and to let out a sob. Cloud had managed to follow some of that, but not all of it. It didn't matter right now, what mattered was that his son was hurting and Cloud could help. He held the boy tightly against his chest and started rocking, making the shushhing sounds he'd used when Zeke had been a toddler.

"It's okay buddy. I'm okay. You did good." He reassured the boy. He repeated that a few times in a quiet voice and eventually, Zeke's words stopped and were replaced by heavy sobs. Cloud's heart broke as he remembered just how young the boy was, and how much he'd gone through. "You're okay."

It took some time, but eventually Zeke had calmed down. His tears had stopped falling and his breath had evened into something less panicked. Cloud still didn't let him go. By this point, Zack had come back with a few changes of clothes and had gone for a shower himself.

It was late evening before they were all together again, sitting in the small multi-bed room.

"So..." Zack was the first to speak. He was sitting on the next bed from Cloud and Zeke, and was watching them with a curious look. "You're Cloud's son..."

Cloud felt Zeke's nod against his chest, but the boy didn't say anything else.

"But... I thought he was like... five?" Zack asked Cloud this time.

Cloud shrugged, "Time travel." He said, "He was five when I left." His hand was gently rubbing at Zeke's back. He longed to run it through his son's hair, but the boy had been careful about keeping his hat on. "Older when he left."

Zack nodded, taking that information in. "You called him Zack."

Cloud nodded again. "That's his name." He said simply, "When he got here, he chose the nickname Zeke."

"Okay. Okay." Zack was nodding but looked like he still had questions. He then turned to Aerith. "How do you know so much about what's going on?" He asked.

She blinked at him as if surprised at the question. She paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to articulate what had happened, "Cloud needed help." She said, "The planet couldn't contact him, but she could contact me. She needed to tell Cloud his mission... So she gave me everything I needed to know."

Zack nodded again before shaking his head, "So what, the planet just told you all that stuff?" He asked, "But not _how_ to help him?"

Aerith sighed, "The planet gave me the memories of the Aerith from his world." She told him, "That was easier to do than to brief me on everything that's happened."

There was silence, and Zack looked from Aerith to Cloud and back to Aerith. He pinched his nose before throwing himself back on to the bed. "Man, this whole thing gives me a headache." He muttered.

Sephiroth spoke up for the first time, "Being in this _town_ is giving me a headache."

Cloud had to agree and was about to say something, when there was a muffled noise from the closet. He gave Sephiroth a confused look and the younger SOLDIER just sighed. "Aerith, if you would..." He gestured at the cupboard and she nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. The muffled banging stopped and Cloud regarded Aerith for a moment.

She shrugged, "Hojo." She told him, "It's better if I keep him quiet." She held up the materia in her hand. "I keep putting him to sleep..." For some reason, it didn't surprise Cloud that she could cast magic at a target in another room. She was very skilled with materia use, and Cloud remembered her being able to cast quickly and easily.

What did surprise him, and made him a little nervous, was the fact that apparently Sephiroth and Aerith were getting along, even comfortable in each other's company. It also surprised him how _not_ anxious he was. He had thought that if he'd seen Aerith and Sephiroth together, he would probably freak out, at least a little, but he hadn't.

"We should leave." Cloud said, the prickling in the back of his mind getting stronger. "Go somewhere else for the night. Gather our thoughts." He nudged at Zeke a little, gently placing the now sleeping boy on the bed while he put on the clothes that Zack had found him.

"Technically," Zack muttered, "Sephiroth and I are on a mission. We're supposed to be taking care of the dragons on the mountain."

"No." Cloud paused, shirt half way on. "We can't. Jenova is in the reactor." He told them, "Zeke, Sephiroth and I shouldn't go anywhere near it."

"I'll go." Zack sat up, "I can take care of it and meet you guys somewhere else."

Cloud nodded, "Go for the underbelly." He told him, "Watch the breath. It can burn or freeze depending on the dragon. Don't use elemental magic. They're mostly immune to status effects." He hoped his memories were accurate. It'd been a long time since he'd last been in the Nibel mountains. "Watch out for the tail." He added.

Zack nodded, taking all the information in. He was a SOLDIER. Knowing what was coming was always invaluable, especially if it was coming from a native.

"Um..." Aerith spoke up after a moment. "What about Hojo?" She asked, eyes going to the closet.

Cloud had half a mind to leave him there. To burn the inn down around him and watch as he suffered. He shook his head, pushing that thought away. He refused to give in to Jenova's influence.

"We should just throw him off a cliff." Sephiroth said, "Into a dragons nest. After covering him with bees."

Okay. So maybe Sephiroth was having a harder time identifying Jenova's influences than Cloud. But at least that was better than burning the whole town down, right? "Block her out." Cloud said quietly. "Or she'll use your wrath." He added.

Sephiroth gave him a confused look for a moment, before it dawned on him and he scowled. It wasn't comfortable having someone else in your mind – especially when you didn't realise it.

"We take him with us." Cloud said after a moment. "Right now, the only people here that we can be sure are thinking right are Aerith and Zack." He turned to look at them. "Zack's going to take out the dragons," He turned his gaze to Aerith, "Which means that you're the only one not susceptible to Jenova. That puts you in charge." He told her, "At least until we're far enough away to ignore her.

Eyes wide and a little afraid, Aerith nodded, her determination shining through.

"Right. Okay then. That makes sense I suppose." She turned to look at Sephiroth, as if waiting for his objection. He shook his head and gestured for her to continue. "Well then... We take him with us. Until you guys are yourselves again and you can decide what to do with him." She was nervous, and Cloud felt bad about putting her in charge, but it couldn't be helped.

"So where do we go?" She asked.

When they'd last travelled here, they'd gone to Rocket Town over the mountains. That wasn't an option in this case – they'd have to pass the reactor to get through the mountains – but there weren't really any close by towns. Cloud frowned for a moment, trying to remember what had been around at this time.

"I think... the next closest town is Cosmo Canyon... but that's a few days away on foot..."

"We have a helicopter." Sephiroth told him, "we're here on a mission, after all." Right. That made sense.

"In that case..." Cloud closed his eyes, remembering the world map from his travels and deliveries. There were a few differences in the future, but not many. "We can probably camp outside of town for the night while Zack takes care of the dragons. He can bring the helicopter to us when he's done. We can figure out our next move from there and if we need to, we can move on to Cosmo Canyon."

"How far away do we need to go?" Sephiroth asked, hand rubbing at his temples.

"I don't know." Cloud said truthfully. "Maybe half a days walk?" The truth was, Jenova could reach them anywhere, but the further away they were, the harder she had to work for it. Cloud didn't know of a single place on the planet that was safe from her reach.

But it wouldn't do to tell Sephiroth that. There was no need to worry the man, or scare him. Not at this point.

"We'll head south." He said, "Down towards Cosmo Canyon." There were nods all around and Cloud finished getting dressed.

He leaned down over the bed and gently shook Zeke. "Hey buddy," He said quietly, "Time to get up. C'mon, we're leaving."

"Thank Gaia." Zeke muttered, sitting up and holding his head in his hands.

– – – – – – – – –

Before they split up, Cloud pulled Zack aside. He handed the man a sheet of paper. "If you get a chance..." He said quietly, making sure the others didn't hear him. "Go back in to the mansion. There's a door on the side of the corridor that leads to the labs. Inside, you'll find a man sleeping in a coffin. Tell him that Lucrecia's son is alive and give him this. Tell him that he'll find her sleeping here."

Zack gave Cloud an odd look but took the paper, "Okay," He agreed, holding his questions. Cloud nodded in thanks and caught up to the others at the village gates.

– – – – – – – – – –

The more distance they put between themselves and Nibelheim, the better Cloud was feeling. Each step took away some of the pain and pressure and made the next step easier. He see in the expressions of the others that they were feeling the same way. Even Aerith seemed to be feeling better the further they got.

After around half a days walk, Aerith stopped and sat down. "Here." She decided, "We'll camp here."

They were in a wide open area in the planes and there was nothing around for miles. In the distance, Cloud could see a slither of ocean. But they were far enough away from the town that he could breathe again, and that his mind was clear. They would also be easily spotted from the air, when Zack would be ready to join them.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

The fire was crackling merrily in the centre of their camp, and Cloud was watching it from afar. He'd taken a few moments to himself, to gather his thoughts and remind himself that he was with his friends, that he wasn't in Hojo's lab any more.

The cold helped him. It helped him focus on the here and now, on the bitter wind creeping under his collar, it grounded him in reality. He'd been sitting alone for maybe five minutes before someone joined him.

"He doesn't look much like you." Sephiroth's voice was quiet in the dark.

"He's adopted." He could feel Sephiroth sit beside him, not quite close enough to touch, but close enough for Cloud to feel the warmth coming off him.

"He looks like me." Sephiroth continued. "Cloud... how many different timelines have you been to?" He asked.

"Three." Cloud closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a breath before opening them and turning to Sephiroth. The man's face was blank, the fire reflecting off his skin and making him seem less pale. Cloud had to shake off memories of another time that Sephiroth had looked like that. "Zeke is another version of you." He said quietly, "I took him from Hojo when he was two weeks old."

Quiet fell over them for a time and Sephiroth nodded. "I think I understand." He said quietly, finally turning to meet Cloud's eyes. "Why you are so conflicted with my... feelings for you."

Tensely, Cloud nodded. "There's more." He muttered, "You know how I said that the Sephiroth from my time went insane and I had to kill him?"

"Yes."

"There are three versions of you in my memories." He told Sephiroth, eyes going back to the fire. He watched Aerith and Zeke for a moment – she laughed at something and Zeke scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "The one that I knew first... he was insane. He'd let himself become a monster. He hunted me, killed my friends, destroyed my town. He came damn close to destroying the world.

"But then... There's the second version of you I knew." He smiled lightly, "The boy who's first steps were used to wonder off and get lost, the little boy who teethed on metal because plastic would break, the two year old that would scold anybody for not taking proper care around flowers. The little boy who loved to ride chocobos and named his stuffed toys and pets after food." He missed his baby. He had Zeke, his little boy back, but he would always miss those four years he hadn't been able to see.

"And then there's you." He turned his look at Sephiroth again. The man had been watching the others at the fire, but when he felt Cloud's gaze on him, he turned to meet it.

"The man that decided he would be my friend. The man that shares his coffee stash with me, the man that travelled half way around the world to save me from my worst nightmares on the words of a boy he didn't know." He shook his head, hardily able to believe that one. "The man who challenges me, who keeps me on my toes." He looked back at the fire. "The man who burned a shirt beyond recognition because it was a threat to me." He added with a small smile.

"All three versions of you are different, but you all have similarities. I know that I can push them all aside enough for us to be friends. To be good friends. But... When I look at you, I see all three of those Sephiroths. I see everything each of you have done and I try to keep it separate, but it's not always easy."

"You're worried that you will always see a part of me as a monster?" Sephiroth questioned after a long while and Cloud shook his head.

"No. I'm always worried that I will see you as my son." He told him, "The monster... that monster could be there. If you let it be. But I don't think you will... Not _this_ you. And if you do... I'm there to stop you. But I can see the kindness I couldn't see before. I can see you for the good man you are, and I see that in him too." He was watching Zeke again.

The boy was running around and jumping, talking to Aerith quickly and animatedly, apparently doing impressions of Yuffie. He was finally acting like the child he truly was.

There was quiet for a while and they both watched the two by the fire. "I think I'm beginning to understand." Sephiroth eventually said, voice still quiet. "Perhaps... If you see Zeke and I interact more, you may see us as different people."

Cloud let himself shrug, "I don't know Sephiroth." He said, "I wish I could tell you that I could be what you want but... I don't know." Even given a lot of time, even seeing Sephiroth spend time with his son, Cloud wasn't sure if he could ever truly see them as different people.

He'd managed to separate the Sephiroth from his time from both of these people, but that was a lot easier. He'd grown to hate that Sephiroth, to despise him, and that had made it so much easier to see these two as different. He couldn't hate them, not if he tried. He loved each of them, in their own way, and it was just too confusing for him.

Maybe one day, he'd be able to give Sephiroth a chance, but at this point, Cloud didn't know if that day would ever actually come.

– – – – – – –


	20. A New Plan

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 20 – A New Plan

Zack joined them just before dawn. He tripped over the prone form of Hojo (Cloud wasn't entirely convinced it wasn't on purpose) as he walked in to the camp. He waved and greeted Cloud, sitting next to the man.

"You got last watch?" He asked, picking up a stick and prodding what was left of the fire.

Cloud shrugged and looked around. "You didn't bring the helicopter?" He asked. He was rather looking forward to going back to a city, or a town, or anywhere with a bed and running water. He wasn't a stranger to camping out, he'd done it a lot both before and after Nibelheim, but he didn't _enjoy_ it.

"Nah." Zack shook his head, "We kind of abducted a scientist..." He reminded Cloud, looking over at the unconscious man. "And until we know what we're going to do with him, I don't think we should go back to Midgar..."

Cloud nodded. He was about to reply when they were joined by Sephiroth. "I still think my idea has some merit." He said, and Cloud stared at him. Either Jenova's influence spread further than he'd thought, or Sephiroth was making a joke.

Zack, apparently, decided to take it as the joke and left out a bark of laughter. "I kind of agree, but we can't really do that..." Cloud found that he was disappointed that he agreed with Zack.

"But in all seriousness," Zack continued, "We need a plan. We're supposed to kill Jenova and save the planet, right? How do you even do something like that?" Both of them turned to look at Cloud who just shrugged.

"No idea." he told them, rubbing the back of his neck. It had been a long night. He hadn't even tried to sleep – he knew what awaited him in his dreams and he wasn't ready to face that. "But I think we need to think of the more immediate problem." He gestured at Hojo. "We can't kill him – he might still have answers that we need – but we can't let him go. We can't keep him – I'm pretty sure that Shinra wouldn't be too happy about us kidnapping their head of science – but we don't have anywhere to hold him. Until we figure out what we're going to do with him, we're stuck here."

The other SOLDIER's nodded and they both looked at the man. If it were anybody but Hojo, Cloud might have felt bad about the minimal shelter they'd given him. He had a sleeping bag on and was put by the fire. That was it. No tent, no thermal insulation. They hadn't even given him a hat. He was probably freezing.

"Well... if we want to get answers out of him, we need to wake him up. Maybe once we have answers, we'll know what to do with him?" Zack suggested.

"I may have a solution." Sephiroth spoke up. "We can't kill him, keep him... We should let him go."

"But we jus-"

"We can't let-" Zack and Cloud spoke at the same time and stopped abruptly when Sephiroth held up a hand.

"We are not the only ones disgusted by his actions." He started, "The people of Wutai believe him to be a demon and a symbol of Shinra's evil. I propose that we... leave him on Wutai."

Zack and Cloud looked at each other, then back at Sephiroth. "But... They'd probably torture him." Zack pointed out, and Sephiroth shrugged. He didn't care. Cloud could understand. The idea of Hojo being tortured was somewhat appealing. Sickening, but appealing. They wouldn't be the ones doing the torture, so it would be somewhat out of their hands.

Still... "That would make us no better than him." He admitted with a disappointed sigh. "No. He needs to be dealt with humanely. Treat him like a prisoner of war."

"Even after everything he's done?" Sephiroth questioned, "You still want to give him leniency? We should throw him in the Northern Crater and be done with it."

"He's under Jenova's influence." A soft voice joined theirs as Aerith approached. "He tried the serum on himself first. Every negative thought he's had in the last twenty five years has been amplified. She changed his way of thinking and effected his morals. He was never a nice man, but he wasn't always like this."

"So you think that after we take out Jenova, he'll be _nicer_?" Cloud asked, disbelief evident in his voice. Aerith just shrugged.

"I'll wake Zeke." She said quietly, "He should be a part of this conversation too." She left before Cloud could protest.

Zeke was only a child. A nine year old boy that had been thrown in to a terrible situation, and Cloud wanted him to have nothing to do with this. But Aerith was right. He _was_ a part of this, a very important part, and he deserved to have a say.

It only took her a few minutes to return, dragging behind her a disgruntled Zeke. He looked positively grumpy to have been woken up at such an early hour. He offered the group a glare and dropped himself to the ground in front of Cloud.

"Just give him back to Shinra." Zeke grumbled. "He attacked me, I knocked him out. Self defence. Call it an accident."

Could it really be that simple? Hojo hadn't really woken up enough to know what was going on since he'd been knocked out in Nibelheim. Their story could hold water. "If we know where he is, we can go and get him another time, when we know what we need to ask him." Cloud added, contemplating Zeke's simple solution.

The other men hesitated, both looking at the prone form. "It... makes sense." Zack said eventually. "I mean, if we didn't, we'd pretty much have to defect, right? And right now, Shinra has resources we can use... But..." He looked at Cloud, "Wont he keep coming after you?"

"Probably." Cloud admitted, "And I still have no idea what he put in the mako to effect me..." Why was his life always so complicated? Couldn't he go back to the time when he was just a delivery boy and a father? That had been nice. No end of the world to worry about, no (real) enemies, no threats. He missed it.

"It's still the best idea we have right now." Sephiroth was reluctant, but he agreed with Zeke. "As Zack said, if we don't, we would have to defect."

"I'd rather we didn't do that." Everyone seemed surprised that it was Cloud that said that. "In my time, I was classed as an escaped experiment. The entire army was sent after me and my mentor. It took them a year, but they finally managed to track us down, and when they did, they came at us in full force. He died, and I barely got out alive. If we defect, something similar will probably happen. And I wont let it. Not again."

No. He'd have to bring down Shinra from the inside. Bring the whole company down before they left. Otherwise they'd never get any rest and nowhere would be truly safe.

"So we'll give him back, and deal with the consequences when they come up." Cloud finished, looking at the others to see if they agreed.

Sephiroth turned to Aerith, "You are our appointed leader." He said, a small sly smile on his face. "What do you say?"

Aerith shook her head, "We're far enough away from Jenova. You can be in charge." She said quickly and Cloud couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face. "But I agree... on taking him back."

That was one problem decided on. Next, "Aerith... How long until Jenova's people get here?" He asked, "They hadn't come in my time..." So they should have at least fifteen years, right?

"When you came here, the planet reacted, and then again when Zeke got here, and when I was given her memories." She said. "In your time, they were just wondering the stars and headed towards us, but now... Jenova felt the fluctuations in the lifestream. She... called for a Reunion."

Well that wasn't good. Not good at all. But Cloud hadn't felt it, he hadn't heard the siren call. "I never felt it." He said, and Aerith shook her head.

"She called to her people, not to herself."

"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Zack asked, looking completely bewildered.

"Reunion." Cloud muttered, "I told you Jenova can control her cells?" Zack nodded, "Reunion is where she calls to gather them all up. Anybody possessing live J-Cells can't resist the call and will go to her. Regardless of where she is. It's... instinct." Cloud had succumbed to Reunion once. Chased Sephiroth around the globe to answer the call. He hadn't realised it at the time – he had thought he'd had his own reasons – but in hindsight he could see it for what it had been.

"So she's summoning her people?" Zack asked, still looking confused, "And they're going to come here. To do what?"

Aerith gave a little shrug and Cloud thought on it. "When Sephiroth – the Sephiroth from my time – went insane, he wanted to give the planet a massive wound. The lifestream would come up to the surface to heal it, and he wanted to absorb that power to make himself a god."

"Yep. He was nuts." Zack muttered, giving an apologetic smile to Sephiroth.

Cloud chuckled and nodded, "When that didn't work, he wanted to poison the lifestream so he could make the planet die and move on to the next. He wanted to ride the planet to a new one."

"You believe that it was Jenova's idea?" Sephiroth interjected, "Rather than.. his?"

Cloud nodded. "From what I can figure out, Jenova is a parasite or something. A parasite will use the host, and when the host dies, move on to the next. Maybe that's what they're trying to do? Or they might just want a place to settle and take over."

"If they live here, they'll die here." Aerith said quietly, "And if they die on the planet, they'll join the lifestream here and poison it."

"Wait-" Zeke sat up, suddenly a lot more awake. "If they die on the planet they'll join the lifestream?" The others just nodded slowly at him, wondering if he had a point, or if he was just now understanding the nature of life. "So... what happens if something dies _above_ the planet, not actually on it? You wanted a way to kill Jenova without her joining the lifestream, right?"

Cloud frowned, he could see where this was going, and the idea... might work. "You want to send Jenova in to space?" He asked, and Zeke nodded. "And then what, make the rocket explode?"

Zeke shook his head quickly, "No. I want to send her in a rocket, and keep it going. If Jenova's people are trying to get to her because of Reunion, they might follow her and leave us alone!"

They paused to think for a moment and Zack spoke up with a shrug. "I mean... it's not a bad theory... Even if it doesn't work, and the aliens don't follow her, we've still got rid of this one..."

"There's only one problem." Everyone turned to Sephiroth as he spoke. "We have no way of getting her _in_ to space."

"Shinra No. 26..." Zeke said slowly, "The space ship that Cid's gonna fly..."

Cloud had completely forgotten that, while the space program had been big news before the war, it had mostly been forgotten about since, and wasn't all that well known any more. Zack and Sephiroth were giving Zeke blank looks and Cloud decided to come to their rescue.

"Shinra No. 26 was the last prototype of a rocket that Shinra were developing. There's a model of it in the lobby of the Shinra building... I don't think it's finished yet..." He looked at Zeke who shook his head.

"Cid said that they tried the first launch in January 03."

"Eighteen months from now?" Sephiroth asked and Zeke nodded to confirm.

They sat for a moment, contemplating things. "I think," Cloud said slowly, "That we should take Hojo and return to Midgar. We can look into the space program from there and see if there's anything we can do to speed up the process. Aerith-" he turned to the flower girl, "Does the planet know how far away Jenova's people are?"

She paused for a moment, closing her eyes and then shook her head, "Not exactly," She said quietly, "This timeline is different from the others... but... soon... Maybe a year at the most?" She seemed unsure, and a little upset that she couldn't give them a better answer, but Cloud would take it. It was better than nothing. He smiled at her in thanks and stood up, stretching his sore muscles.

"If we take too much longer to get back, we'll raise questions."

"You guys stay here." Zack said after a minute. "I'll bring the helicopter out here... So you don't have to deal with Jenova again..."

Right. That. Cloud nodded his thanks and Zack set off at a run.

"I don't like that he's involved." Aerith said softly, still sitting beside Cloud. "We have to be but Zack..."

"Zack wouldn't let us leave him behind." Sephiroth reassured her, "If we tried, we would have hell to pay."

– – – – – – –

The trip back to Midgar was mostly silent, nobody wanting to say anything in front of the pilot. Hojo had been strapped in to one of the seats and was lay slack against it. Cloud couldn't help but keep looking at him, as if ready for something to happen.

Zeke was leaning as far as his restraints would let him, trying to see the ground passing below them. He'd always had a fascination with flying – ever since that first trip to Kalm on his first birthday – and was mostly content and quiet.

Aerith didn't seem to like flying. She kept her hands clasped around Zack's in a tight fist, holding on as if she were afraid that she'd fall if she let go. The dark haired SOLDIER just held on to her, giving her silent reassurance.

Sephiroth was reading something on his phone and didn't look up for most of the flight, seemingly content with whatever was on the screen. Cloud supposed that he was rather used to it by now.

Cloud just tried not to vomit. His stomach was rolling. He hated helicopters. With a passion. Airships were fine, he could deal with those. They didn't rock nearly as much. Boats weren't a problem, as long as they were big enough. Little boas rocked and swayed and were all around awful. Even the submarine had been better than this. Cramped and claustrophobic, but it never felt like they were actually _travelling_ while using the sub. All in all, he felt pretty green and was somehow managing to keep his stomach contents down when Sephiroth finally looked up from his phone.

Something was subtly put in Cloud's hand and he tore his eyes from the horizon only long enough to look at it. It was a small pill and Cloud recognised it as a medicine for motion sickness. He swallowed it whole and dry, hoping it would kick in quickly.

– – – – – – – –

The helicopter landed and the party disembarked. Cloud hung back and snagged Aerith's and Zeke's clothing to make them stay too. He waited until the pilot was gone and the engine shut down before talking to them. "I have to stay above the plate." He told them, wishing with every fibre of his being that he could go below with them. "I have to make sure my position here hasn't been compromised." They both nodded in understanding.

Zeke wrapped his arms around Cloud and placed his head on his shoulder. When had he gotten so big? The boy was almost as tall as Cloud was now, and he was only nine. Cloud returned the gesture, holding his boy close for a moment. "Don't let anybody know who you are." He said quietly, "If they find out..."

Zeke nodded and pulled back, allowing Aerith to sweep in for a brief hug. "I'll look after him." She assured him. "He'll be safe with me." And Cloud believed her.

– – – – – –

Zack had volunteered to take Aerith and Zeke home since Cloud had been summoned to the Director's office almost as soon as they landed. Cloud knew he could trust Zack to be careful, and he could trust Zeke and Aerith to protect each other, but that didn't make seeing them leave any easier. He felt like a hand was squeezing his heart, crushing it tightly.

He felt Sephiroth's hand on the back of his shoulder and realised that he was attempting to silently comfort him, while still looking somewhat professional. To anybody who saw them, it looked like he was leading a SOLDIER to the office.

He took a breath. It wouldn't do to break down in front of the director. If he could get through the next few hours, he was sure that it would hurt less. They were safe, after all, it wasn't like they were gone for good. They were less than a mile away, after all.

– – – – – – – –

After the official debriefing, Sephiroth had asked for a moment alone with the director. Ignoring his curiosity, Cloud dutifully waited outside for Sephiroth and cursed the sound proof walls. It really was only a few moments before Sephiroth emerged, face unreadable. He stopped next to Cloud and took a breath.

"Food." He said, taking Cloud's wrist and pulling him to the elevator. Apparently Cloud didn't have a choice about eating, and he was too stunned that Sephiroth was dragging him along to resist. It wasn't until they were in the elevator that he looked down at their hands and then back at Sephiroth.

"I'm not going to run away..." He told him, shaking his arm as if to remind Sephiroth that he was still holding Cloud's wrist.

There was a moment's hesitation before Sephiroth let go, face flushing lightly pink. "Sorry." He muttered, and Cloud realised that Sephiroth was actually scared.

"Hey," Cloud's soft word caught Sephiroth's full attention and he looked at him.

Cloud threw a hand behind him and pressed the emergency stop button, giving them some time. "I'm not going anywhere." He reassured him. Until this point, he hadn't thought about how his disappearance would effect Sephiroth. Hadn't he been close to Angeal before he'd defected?

Sephiroth didn't say anything, just looked away as if embarrassed.

"Sephiroth." Cloud spoke again, "I'm okay."

That seemed to help a little, and Sephiroth gave a nod, eyes still averted. Cloud didn't know what else he could do. He was a little lost when it came to comforting friends. So instead, he changed the topic. "So, food?" He asked, releasing the elevator again, "I'm kind of sick of the canteen. Lets go somewhere else."

Sephiroth gave another nod. "Perhaps there's somewhere in Sector 8." He suggested, and Cloud remembered a place that Zack had told him about once.

"I think I know somewhere..." He nodded.

– – – – – – – –

"Tell me again, that you're not dating Sephiroth." Zack's arm was once again around Cloud's shoulders. The smaller man sighed and shook it off to turn and look at his friend.

"What are you talking about now, Zack?" He asked with slow irritation.

Instead of answering with words, Zack fiddled with his PHS for a moment, and Cloud's beeped. With a raised eyebrow at his friend, he opened it to find a forwarded email from... The Chocobo's Sword? Again, he raised his eyebrows.

"Your fan club." Zack prompted and Cloud groaned. "Look at it." Why did Zack sound so _gleeful_?

" _Another sighting of our Chocobo confirms that he's close to Sephiroth. They were seen together out on a romantic evening meal in Sector 8's Tonberry's Knife, a well known romantic get away for Shinra employees."_

Cloud's eyes narrowed as he read the mail. There were even some badly taken photographs of Cloud and Sephiroth. Sephiroth had a half smile on his face, as if he were trying not to laugh, and Cloud remembered that moment. Cloud had told Sephiroth a ridiculously bad joke that Zeke had once told him, and he'd been amused at the absurdity of it. Opposite him, Cloud was openly laughing at the same joke.

" _This is just minutes after we heard reports that they were seen holding hands in the Shinra building, and that the emergency stop had been pressed in their elevator. Were they up to some naughty shenanigans? Time will tell."_

Cloud sighed and closed his phone, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How can people take things so far out of context?" He questioned, "We weren't _holding hands_."

Zack was still grinning, "Cloooouuuuuddddd," He drew out his friend's name in a mildly mocking tone. "You're totally dating." He added, laughing, "Weather you realise it or not."

"We're _friends_ Zack." Cloud reminded him and Zack just laughed harder.

"You've never taken me to a restaurant. Or for a long, sunset walk on the edge of the plate." Why did he find this so funny? He knew Cloud's history now, he knew why Cloud was reluctant-couldn't! So why was he pushing things.

Cloud scowled at him and saw Zack's mirth fade as he turned away from him and stormed away.

– – – – – – –

The lock on the door didn't slow Cloud down much. He picked it and let himself in to Sephiroth's office, slamming the door behind him before beginning to pace the room.

The man behind the desk sighed and put his head in his hand for a moment. "The door was locked..." He said slowly, but put his pen down anyway, watching his friend pace.

"Cloud?" He prompted after a moment.

Cloud stopped dead and turned to Sephiroth, "We're not dating!" He shouted before taking a breath and continuing with his pacing.

"I am painfully aware of this fact..."

"Then why are we the only ones who believe it!?" Cloud was still scowling. His emotions were already a mess. He didn't know why he was venting to Sephiroth, of all people, but Zack had seemed way too happy with the idea, and Cloud didn't really have anyone else at the moment.

He supposed he could go down to the plate and talk to Aerith about it, but that had too many risks. No doubt the Turks were in a tizzy with her having disappeared for three days.

"Ah." Sephiroth's voice brought him back to reality, "You saw the post then."

Yes he saw the post! It was very much out of context and who names a fan club that anyway! A thought occurred to him and he stopped his pacing, turning to Sephiroth. His scowl had been replaced with a frown.

"Wait... How did you see it before me?" Cloud was sure that Zack would have come to find Cloud the moment he'd got the email. Which meant it was sent maybe ten or fifteen minutes ago. So how... "Sephiroth..." He said slowly, "Are you a member of my fan club."

To his credit, Sephiroth ignored the flush that appeared on his cheeks and shrugged, "Knowing what rumours are going around is practical." He stated, "Lest one is brought up that I know nothing about."

Yeah. That sounded like bull to Cloud, but he'd let it slide. Suddenly exhausted, he threw himself down on the chair in front of the desk. "Sorry." He muttered, gesturing behind him at the door. Maybe he shouldn't have let himself in like that. He'd just been so worked up about everything. And he still didn't know _why_.

Sephiroth shook his head and looked down at the paperwork on his desk. "Do you think..." He said slowly, "That the potential threatening person that I have been tasked with watching," a small smile played at Sephiroth's lips. "Might be found somewhere outside?"

It took Cloud a moment of confusion to realise what Sephiroth was asking. They'd had a similar conversation once when Cloud had lured him away from his paperwork. A small smile formed on Cloud's face before it disappeared. "Probably not." He said sadly, "He probably doesn't want any more rumours going around."

"Hmm. I hadn't realised that he was one to worry about such things." Sephiroth countered, and for some reason, speaking like this was easier for Cloud. Almost like it wasn't actually about them.

And Cloud realised that Sephiroth had a point. Why _was_ Cloud so worked up about the rumours about them? It wasn't like it actually effected him. He wasn't exactly perusing anybody else that would be put off, and he was sure that Sephiroth wasn't either.

"I think you might be right." Cloud said slowly after a moment. "Then, why don't we go and check the edge of the plate again?" At least it was already dark. It was quite late at night and there was no way this could be taken as a sunset walk. It would be nice to get away from Shinra for a while.

– – – – – – –


	21. A New Home

To The Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 21 – A New Home

Days turned in to weeks, and they were no closer to an answer. Luckily, Hojo seemed to have decided to leave Cloud alone for the time being, for which they were all glad. The official report actually said that they'd _rescued_ the scientist. They didn't let their guard down, however, even when they joined together in Zack's room for another movie night.

To Cloud, it seemed a frivolous waste of time, but Zack had insisted that it would be good for him, and that he needed some downtime. There was merit in that idea, Cloud had to admit, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Zack had chosen some sappy love story that really didn't seem like the sort of thing that Zack would watch, but they watched it anyway and Cloud couldn't help but wonder if this was Zack's way of trying to manipulate him into a relationship with Sephiroth. The man really seemed to want that to happen, and Cloud couldn't figure out _why_.

Still, it wasn't a bad evening. Cloud had finally relaxed and let his troubles fall to the back of his mind for a while. He found himself drifting off to sleep about half way through the movie, and for once, he let himself trust in his friends back up to let himself go, falling into a dreamless slumber.

– – – – – –

It wasn't often that Cloud was actually called up to Sephiroth's office. Usually he just barged his way in whenever he needed to talk to Sephiroth. For some reason, the man was always there and Cloud had to wonder why he had so much paperwork when he wasn't even the official director of SOLDIER. Surely he shouldn't have that much? Cloud didn't have any outside of mission reports, and he was only one rank behind Sephiroth. He also knew for a fact that Zack never had any paperwork.

He was brought out of his musings by his arrival at Sephiroth's door. He let himself in – he'd never bothered knocking before, why start now – and was surprised to find that Sephiroth wasn't alone.

Sitting in one of the chairs was a familiar small form. Zeke peered up from his hat with a grin and a wave. "Hello." He greeted and Cloud scowled at him. Why was the boy here! He _knew_ the risks and for him to enter the building...

"What's going on?" Suddenly, Cloud was in a very serious mood. Something must have happened for Zeke to be here.

"Don't be upset with him." Sephiroth said quietly, fishing around his desk for something. "I asked him here."

Cloud rounded on his friend, shocked and angry. Why would Sephiroth put his son at risk like that! He was shaking, fists balled at his side but before he could let his anger out at Sephiroth, a piece of paper was handed to him.

"Read."

For once, Cloud did as he was ordered without argument. The paper was a protection order. Zeke was officially under Sephiroth's protection, and... he had the backing of President Shinra?

"What does this mean?" Cloud had never really been good with legal documents. They were confusing and didn't say what they actually said. He'd never been great at reading between the lines.

"It means," Sephiroth took the page back and placed it securely in his desk, "That if any harm comes to Zeke, the entire Shinra military will back me up to apprehend whoever is responsible. And should he go missing, they will assist in his return."

Cloud blinked at Sephiroth, still not quite understanding. "What about-"

"Hojo is on the top of the list of suspects should something happen." Sephiroth assured Cloud, "And he knows it. He may be somewhat insane, but Hojo is not stupid. He won't strike against Zeke so long as the protection order is in place."

That... That meant that Zack could come and go from the plate as he pleased. That he would be protected from the science department, from Shinra. That meant that he could spend time with his son, without having to worry for his safety, or constantly keep an eye out for people that may have followed him. But why would Sephiroth do this? How?

"How did..." He was having difficulty putting his thoughts in to words. "How did you get the president to sign off on this?" He asked quietly. As far as the rest of the world knew, Zeke was a slum rat. He shouldn't have even registered on Sephiroth's radar, let alone get a protection order from the man.

"I told him to sign it." Sephiroth said with a shrug, "Or I would leave."

"That's.. just going to bring up questions..." Cloud pointed out, still in shock.

"He may have them. But he knows better than to ask them."

There would still be questions, and people upset with a lack of answers, but Cloud was somewhat used to that by now. He was still nervous, anxious, about having Zeke above the plate, but he realised that now, now he could watch over the boy properly. He could have his son with him. Where, Cloud wasn't entirely sure. His room wasn't exactly big enough for himself, Zack _and_ Zeke.

But that was a small problem on the whole of things.

– – – – – – – – –

Thanks to Sephiroth, Cloud now had Zeke with him. It was how it was supposed to be. Cloud still wasn't entirely sure how he felt about what Sephiroth had done for him. He decided that grateful would be enough – his emotions were buggy at the best of times, best not complicate things any further.

The first thing he did upon leaving Sephiroth's office was find Zack. The man, predictably, was in the cafeteria. It was lunch time, and Cloud turned to Zeke. "Hungry?" He asked, leading the boy in to the room.

Technically, Zeke shouldn't be here. It was employees only, but as far as Cloud knew, he was actually the only one in SOLDIER with a child. Most people joined SOLDIER at fourteen or fifteen, and weren't usually parents.

So when Zeke followed Cloud in to the cafeteria, heads did turn, but they both ignored them in favour of getting food. It was only later that Cloud realised that the confused looks had been more about Zeke's lack of uniform than his age. The boy looked old enough to join the military after all. Once their trays were loaded (and Cloud had added a few extra spoonfuls of vegetables to Zeke's), they joined Zack at his usual table in the back.

"Zeke!" Zack's eyes widened and he looked at Cloud who gave a small nod and smile. The shock looked morphed in to a happy one and Zack quickly moved his seat around to make enough room for the boy to join them. "What brings you above the plate?"

"Sephiroth." Zeke muttered, shovelling food in to his mouth. "He ca-"

"Zack, don't eat with your mouth full." Again, the words were on autopilot. He wasn't surprised he'd said them this time, but he was surprised when he received twin apologies from both men at the table.

Zeke swallowed his mouth full and grinned at Zack, as if laughing at him being scolded. "Sephiroth called me up. Said he wanted to see me and picked me up from the train station. He took me to a fat man on the top of the tower,"

"That was President Shinra." Cloud told him, smirking a little at Zeke's description.

The boy paused and frowned, "That's Rufus's dad?" He asked, "He's not very pretty."

This time Cloud couldn't help the chuckle, "No. Rufus obviously got his looks from his mother." Cloud agreed, "So, Sephiroth took you to see the president..." He prompted.

"Oh, yeah. He made the president sign some papers and then brought me to his office and called you." He ate a few more mouth fulls, making sure to swallow before speaking again. "How old does Sephiroth think I am?" He asked curiously.

"Probably fourteen or fifteen. Why?" Zack answered, "How old _are_ you?"

"Nine." Zack answered, swiping Zack's desert while the man was distracted by his surprise.

"Nine? No way. You're too..."

"Genetically enhanced?" Zeke offered, opening and consuming Zack's chocolate yoghurt. Cloud probably should have stopped him from stealing from their friend, but this was too amusing. He just sat back and watched the Zacks interact while slowly eating his own food.

"Right..." Zack eyed Zeke critically for a moment, before dismissing his thought. "I did want to ask you," He gestured to the boys face, "What's with the eyes? Weren't they green?"

"Contact lenses. Duh."

"Be nice Zeke." Cloud warned, "Contact lenses haven't been invented yet." They weren't around until quite recently in Cloud's time. People had apparently never thought of them, instead relying on glasses or even mako treatments.

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

Zack just shrugged at Zeke's apology, "So what's a contact lens?"

"It's a bit of plastic that I put in my eyes." Zeke told him, "It sits on top of the colour and changes it. I can wear them for up to a year before I have to take them out." He swiped some more of Zack's food and Zack retaliated by stealing Zeke's desert to replace his own. Zeke gave a squawk of protest but Zack simply leaned back on his chair and ate the yoghurt with a grin.

It was amazing to be able to see those two together so casually. Cloud had always known that if they'd had a chance to meet, they would get along, but seeing it in reality was... Cloud suddenly felt very happy. He almost missed Zeke's question.

"So what's it like be a hero?"

Shit. Cloud hadn't told Zeke not to tell Zack about his role in their future. It hadn't crossed his mind to, and Cloud hadn't told Zack any of it. Quite on purpose, but now, Zeke was going to open a whole new can of worms and Cloud couldn't stop it without raising even _more_ questions.

"What do you mean? I'm not a hero..."

"Dad said that I was named after a hero." Zeke said, "And he called me Zack. You're the only Zack he knows, other than me. So you must be the hero."

Zack was bewildered and confused and he turned to look at Cloud for an explanation. This wasn't where or when he'd wanted to tell Zack but... "Zack Fair was my mentor." he said quietly, "He died, so that I could live." Suddenly, the packaging on his own desert was looking very interesting and he trained his eyes on it.

There was quiet for a moment, and Cloud knew that Zack would have questions – and would probably need some time to let his thoughts settle.

"See. Not me." Zack said, "Maybe the Zack Fair in your world, but I'm still alive!" Cloud looked up to his grinning friend with a soft smile of his own. "If you and Sephiroth are different people," Zack's voice had dropped in volume in case of eavesdroppers "Then that Zack and me must be different people too.."

Zeke nodded, understanding, "But you're still a hero." He told him definitively.

"How so?"

"You still saved dad. You listened to me when I said he was in Nibelheim, and you went." Zack took a moment to think about that, then turned to Cloud.

"What do you think Cloud, am I a hero?" He asked, a proud look on his face and Cloud couldn't help but laugh.

"Sure Zack." He said, "You can be my hero."

"Alright! Two people down, the rest of the world to go!" He put his fist in to the air and brought it down quickly, "You gotta embrace your dreams kid," He told Zeke, "Mine's to be a hero. What's yours?"

Zeke's brow furrowed as he took a moment to think about it. "Well... I used to want to learn how to use a sword..." He said, "But I learned that... And a gun... maybe I can learn how to use a staff next? Or a shuriken! Or maybe healing magic!"

Cloud chuckled again, his hand moving to ruffle Zeke's hair. "Maybe pick one thing at a time," He told him, amused at the thought that he'd been raised by warriors, of course he wanted to learn more fighting styles.

– – – – – – – – – –

The issue of sleeping arrangements had come up, and Zack had finally suggested that they all move in to his room. Cloud had protested at first, pointing out that if Zack would just go home and stop sleeping on his floor, there would be room in his room for both himself and Zeke.

But Zack had actually given Cloud a glare and a shake of the head. "No." He said, "I promised to protect you from Hojo. Can't do that if I'm on the other side of the building. And now, there's two of you to protect."

"I can look after myself," Zeke huffed, arms folding in front of his chest.

"Sorry kid, 'til you're at least fourteen, I'm gonna do my best to make sure you don't have to." Zack said to the boy, ruffling his hair.

So, they'd ended up packing Cloud's small number of possessions and moving to Zack's apartment. Zack had actually insisted that Cloud and Zeke take his room, and that he would have the couch. Again, Cloud tried to protest, and again, Zack had won the argument.

But their living arrangements didn't last long. A few days after Zeke and Cloud had moved in with Zack, Cloud got yet another summons to Sephiroth's office, this time, he was told to bring Zeke.

For the first time since Cloud had been in the past, he actually knocked on Sephiroth's door and waited patiently for the reply. He wasn't kept waiting long, the door soon opened to reveal Sephiroth's confused face. "Cloud," He stepped aside, "Zeke," He greeted them in turn, closing the door behind him. He was still wearing that puzzled look when he sat back behind his desk and Cloud smirked at him.

It was always fun to keep his friends on their toes.

"There is some paperwork that the President is insisting I fill out for Zeke." Sephiroth explained, pulling a few sheets of papers from the large pile on his desk. "I needed a few details..." He looked at Zeke, "How old are you?" He asked.

"Nine."

Cloud was half expecting Sephiroth to be surprised, but was also half suspecting he wouldn't be. If Zeke was so grown at nine, then surely Sephiroth had been too? Sephiroth just nodded and wrote down a note.

"Birth date?"

"21st January 09." Cloud answered out of habit. It was only when Sephiroth gave him an expectant look that he realised his mistake. "Right." He said, "That's not for another eight years..."

Sephiroth nodded slowly, writing on the pages again. "January 21st 1993." Cloud nodded, that sounded about right.

"He needs a birth certificate." Sephiroth explained, "The President is demanding one for the records. I need to know who to name as his parents." He looked at Cloud for a moment, "I can put down unknown. That would prevent a few questions, however you would lose any legal claim to him..."

Cloud thought about it for a moment, looking at Zeke. "What if you put unknown, and I officially adopt him later?" He asked, "I mean, I didn't bother last time, it didn't seem to matter..." The world had changed drastically and Zeke had simply been added to the records as Cloud's child. There were so many orphaned children, that official adoptions took a very long time.

"Technically you did kidnap me." Zeke pointed out.

Cloud stared at him for a moment before realising that the boy was correct. He laughed and nodded, "I suppose I did."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps we should leave that out of the paperwork..." He suggested, "I will put unknown on his certificate for now. I'm sure there are ways to amend it later." He wrote a few things before handing the pen and a piece of paper to Cloud. "When I signed that protection order, I became responsible for Zeke's financial and physical welfare." He told Cloud, "If you sign here, you are agreeing to me assigning you as official care taker."

"You're going to make me sign a paper so you can give me my son back...?" Cloud asked, finding the whole situation amusing. "And if I don't sign it, you'll be his official guardian?" He was smirking. He fully intended on signing the paper, but the look on Sephiroth's face was too amusing to pass up.

He signed the paper and handed it back. "It says his name is Zeke." Cloud said, examining the birth certificate.

"Is it not?" Sephiroth asked? "That's what he's known by here. Everybody who knows him, knows him as Zeke."

Cloud turned to Zeke. The boy was old enough now to make up his own mind. "What do you think?" He asked, "Want to be officially named Zeke?"

After a moments thought, Zeke shook his head, "No. I was named after someone important. And my family all called me Zack." He said quietly, "I wanna keep that."

Sephiroth nodded and after a moment, made a small change. "And your family name?" He asked.

Zeke frowned for a moment. "I can't use Strife, can I? There's already a Strife here, right?" He looked at Cloud, who nodded. "And I can't use Storm, can I?" That would bring up far too many questions.

"Valentine." Cloud said quietly and Zeke smiled with a nod. There would probably still be questions, but only certain people had heard of Vincent, and as far as they were concerned, the man had died over twenty years ago.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"Very well. Zack Zeke Valentine." Sephiroth said, with a bit of a smirk. "It seems ridiculous names run in the family."

Cloud snorted with amusement and shook his head.

"But you could be a Valentine too..." Zeke pointed out, "I mean, technically Vincent's your dad... So..." He shrugged, "Or you could be a Crescent, since that was Lucrecia's name."

Sephiroth seemed to hesitate before shaking his head, "Perhaps after all of this is over," He said, "I may adopt one of those names. But until then, using them will only alert Hojo to the fact that I know of my true parentage." He passed over the birth certificate to Cloud, "Sign." He ordered, pointing to one of the boxes labelled 'witness'. Cloud obliged.

"Congratulations," Sephiroth said to Zeke, "You legally exist. One more thing." He reached into one of the draws of his desk, "While you are officially Zeke's caretaker, I am still legally overall responsible for him." He pulled a key from the draw. "As such, I have been assigned a larger set of quarters." He handed the key to Cloud, "While there are currently no members of SOLDIER with children, there are apparently regulations for it... They were required to make sure that Zeke had a place to live. You are required to have another person live with you, for the times that you will be away on missions and Zeke is required to have his own room." He added.

Cloud took the key and looked at Sephiroth dumbly. Was he giving them an apartment? And if Cloud had to have someone live with him, did that mean Sephiroth would have to live with him? It was his apartment, and legally he was Zeke's guardian...

"Are you going to live with us?" Thankfully, Zeke was a lot more comfortable asking that kind of question.

Sephiroth shook his head, giving Cloud a strange look. "I had assumed that you would like to continue living with Zack." He told them, "I'm afraid that I'm not very good at living with others."

"You can learn." Zeke told him, "If I can live with others, then so can you."

Sephiroth chuckled, "Perhaps one day." He told him. "Until then, I'm afraid you'll just have to settle for me living down the hall."

– – – – – – – –

"So..." Zack looked around their new apartment with wide eyes. "This is nice..."

It wasn't simply a bigger set of rooms, it was a complete apartment. There were three rooms, a living room, a full bathroom and even a full kitchen. The furniture was all tidy and clean, and looked brand new. There was even a fruit bowl on the coffee table.

"You could fit three of my place in here." Zack whistled as he looked around. He disappeared into the bathroom and came out a moment later, "Shower _and_ a bath! And it's so big I bet even Sephiroth would fit in it!"

Zack's excitement was a little more than Cloud thought the place warranted, but it _was_ nice. And for Sector 0 it was actually quite big. He moved further into the lounge and dropped his bag on the couch. He stepped towards the window and tested it. Good. It opened.

The view was nothing spectacular. Only the President really had a good view in Midgar, but it also wasn't the worst. Zack joined him at the window and looked out. "Not bad. You know, for Midgar." He added.

"Yeah." Cloud took a moment longer to look outside before turning around. "Zeke! The window opens." He called, and there was a shout back from the bathroom.

"This one too!"

Zack frowned, "You guys seriously check that the windows can open? That's the first thing you do?"

Cloud shrugged, "It's an escape rout." He told Zack. "It's always good to never need one, but it's better to know where one is. Just in case." It was an old habit, a very old one, and Tifa had not been pleased when he'd taught Zeke to do the same, but to Cloud it made sense.

He picked up his back and went to explore the rest of the apartment.

"Can I have this room? Zeke asked. It was actually the smaller of the rooms, but it had a window. The other two were on the inside of the building and a window would have been useless. Cloud frowned for a moment.

Part of him wanted to let the boy have the room with the window, but a part of him was also worried. If Zeke didn't have the window, it would take someone longer to take him if they broke in. If he had a window, however, they could use that to...

But who would take him? Zeke was under Sephiroth's protection, and they were almost fifty stories above the plate. Anyone taking Zeke would have to either scale down from the side of the building or have a helicopter.

Even so. It was a risk. Cloud shook his head, "Sorry buddy." He said, "Windows are too dangerous."

"Are you for real?" Zack asked, looking at Cloud like he'd grown a second head.

"Yes." Cloud turned to face Zack and crossed his arms over his chest, his bag still hanging off one of them. "Do you remember why you sealed mine? Climbing this building isn't hard. I can think of a dozen people off the top of my head that could do it."

"I can do it." Zeke pointed out helpfully.

"I guess I hadn't thought about that..." Zack said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well... What if I take this room, and if he wants to look out the window, Zeke can crash in here with me?" He suggested, "And if someone does use the window to try to get to him, "I'll be right there."

After a moments hesitation, Cloud nodded. "I guess that works." It was still risky, but he could trust Zack. Even before Zack had known that Zeke was his son, the man was willing to protect him simply because he _knew_ Cloud.

Cloud let Zeke pick his room, and took the one that was left and unpacked his belongings.

"So," Zack was leaning against Cloud's door frame, Zeke standing slightly behind him. "Now that we're all moved in, why don't we go shopping?" He jerked his head towards Zeke. "He needs some new clothes." He pointed out.

Cloud looked at the boy and had to agree with Zack. While the long coat and scarf weren't the most well worn clothes Cloud had seen, they _were_ quite ratty. They fit in in the slums, but up here they would stick out like a sore thumb.

– – – – – – –


	22. A New Mother

To The Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 22 – A New Mother

"I don't understand why I have to come along." Sephiroth grumbled for the third time that day.

Both Cloud and Zack were thoroughly amused. Cloud was pouting and dragging his feet, almost as much as Zeke was, and it was almost hilarious. They walked in to another store, Cloud pulling Sephiroth along and Zack dragging Zeke.

"I don't want to try on any more clothes." Zeke whined, pulling his arm from Zack's grip and folding his arms. "We've already been to _four_ shops! Why can't I just wear the stuff I like?"

Zeke wasn't used to the class structure of Midgar. Back in their time, people wore what they could find or make and nobody really cared. Everybody had clothes that had been worn down to rags, even Cloud, and nobody was judged for wearing them.

Here, however, in this time, if someone was to be seen wearing rags above the plate, it was a sign that they didn't belong. They would be snubbed, shunned, people had even been known to be beaten.

"Because people will see you as a slum rat." Sephiroth said with a tired sigh, "And most people won't treat you very well. And if somebody hurts you, then there'll be a war."

Right. Cloud had actually managed to forget about that part of Sephiroth's protection plan. If anybody hurt Zeke, the entire Shinra military could be dispatched to save him. Cloud wouldn't have put it as far as calling it a war, but Sephiroth always had been a bit dramatic.

"Fine." Zeke muttered and took the clothes that Zack held out to him. He disappeared in to the changing rooms and the three men waited, receiving odd looks from the sales clerks.

"So remind me, why I have to be involved in this?" Sephiroth asked again.

Cloud laughed, leaning on the wall beside Sephiroth. "Because he's your financial responsibility." Cloud told him, "And clothes above the plate are expensive. Especially considering that he'll need a new wardrobe in about six months time since he wont fit any of these by then."

"I was doing you a favour." Sephiroth muttered, "Letting you bring your son above the plate... And this is how you repay me?"

"The way that you brought Zeke here essentially makes us family. At least for the time being." Cloud pointed out, clapping a hand on Sephiroth's shoulder, "So you'd better get used to it."

Instead of the irritated glare that Cloud had expected, Sephiroth just sent him a tired smile. "I suppose it's worth it then." He said, "For my... family."

"Good. Because we're going shoe shopping next."

– – – – – – – –

"That's it." Sephiroth announced as they left the final shop on their trip, "No more shopping." He demanded. They each had several bags, but Sephiroth looked the most ridiculous of them all. And he was tired and grumpy. In fact, he was reminding Cloud of when Zeke had been a toddler. Either Sephiroth was hungry, tired or needed the bathroom. Cloud was pretty sure it wasn't the last one, which left the other two. "Why don't we get something to eat," He suggested, "And then we'll go home."

Zeke and Sephiroth gave him identical looks of disdain for the suggestion, but Zack lit up and bounced on the spot. "I know a good place!" He offered, and was walking away before anybody could object. Cloud just shrugged at the other two and followed him. Behind him, he could hear Zeke groan in frustration.

The cafe was small but nice and Zack had found them a small table in the back. Already, he'd stashed some of the many shopping bags under the table and was greedily reading through a menu. The others soon joined him. "I will remind you," Sephiroth said, watching Zack trying to decide on what to eat, "That I am not financially responsible for you too." Zack pouted a little, but Cloud could see it was just for show.

"I will be back." Sephiroth said placing the bags down and disappeared before anybody could ask where he was going. When the waitress came, Cloud ordered food for himself and Zeke, and ordered a coffee for Sephiroth. He didn't actually know how Sephiroth liked his coffee, so he made a guess based on the stuff that he'd previously given Cloud. If Sephiroth was grumpy because he was tired, that should help.

When Sephiroth came back, he had a bag with him and he handed it to Zack. "I will admit," He said as the boy curiously took it, "That I don't know much about children. The woman in the shop seemed to think that you would like it, but if you don't there is a receipt in there for an exchange..." He seemed uncomfortable as he took his seat beside Cloud.

Cloud gave him a look, wondering what he'd bought Zack, and why he'd felt the need to get him something in the first place.

"Thank you," Zeke said, his voice quiet. In his hands was a small stuffed Chocobo. It was almost identical to the one he'd had as a child.

"You don't like it?" Sephiroth asked tentatively.

"No I do." Zeke turned to Sephiroth and gave him a grin. "I'm a little old for stuffed toys, but I do like it. Thank you Sephiroth."

It occurred to Cloud, that Sephiroth truly didn't know how to interact with children, but that he was giving it an honest try. He wanted the boy to like him, and Cloud found that incredibly sweet of him.

– – – – – – – –

"You really should join your fan club." Zack said to him that night. They were sitting on the couch, Zack having convinced Cloud to watch a television show with him. It was a show about chocobo racing, and Cloud had actually enjoyed it.

"Why would I do that, Zack?" Cloud asked with a sigh. He shifted a little, moving the sleeping Zeke off his lap. The boy had insisted on watching with them and had fallen asleep in minutes, his new stuffed toy in his arms (he'd named it Chocolate).

"Because the stuff they come up with is hilarious." Zack's answer came, "We were seen on our shopping trip." He showed his phone to Cloud who groaned.

On the screen was a picture of Sephiroth and Cloud leaning against a wall. There were small smiles on each of their faces, and Cloud could see why people would think that there was more than friendship there. The picture below it showed them seemingly holding hands when Cloud had been literally dragging Sephiroth from one shop to another.

He put his head in his hand and sighed, "Don't these people have better things to do?" He asked.

"They just want to see your human side. Both of yours." Zack told him, "The only thing that the public usually see when it comes to you and Sephiroth is battle. The fact that you're able to keep up with him, even beat him made you just as legendary as him."

Cloud let out another tired sigh and shook his head. He pulled Zeke in to his arms and stood. "I'm going to bed." He told Zack.

As he put Zeke to bed, he couldn't help but wonder why the whole world seemed to want him and Sephiroth to be romantically linked. He could understand it from Sephiroth, he could also understand that at least a part of his own jumbled mess of emotions would like the idea, they were linked, Nexis. The rest of the world didn't know that, but part of him wondered if it was obvious.

He tucked Zeke in, careful to make sure the stuffed chocobo was under the blankets with him. He couldn't help but smile at the thought that Sephiroth was trying to get along with the boy. The chocobo may have been an odd thing to get a nine year old, but it was the thought that count. And Zeke really did like it.

– – – – – – – –

Cloud had finally managed to get some information about Shinra No. 26. It was in its final stages of development, and would actually be ready a lot sooner than Cloud had thought. Apparently there were a lot of tests that the vehicle had to go through before being considered space worthy, but Cloud was sure they could reduce the number of those. After all, they didn't need landing gear of environmental controls. They just needed it to stay intact long enough to get away from the planet. After that, if Jenova suffocated or died from the cold, Cloud really didn't care.

The next problem, was that they needed an excuse to get close enough to both Nibelheim and the rocket to launch it. They had to find some way of loading Jenova on to the rocket, and they would have to get past Cid to get the thing in the sky.

Cloud really didn't want to be the one that took Cid's dream away from him, but the rocket was currently their only hope of getting rid of Jenova without her returning to the planet.

He called a meeting with Sephiroth and Zack, and brought Zeke along. He'd called them to his and Zack's apartment so that Aerith could come along. He'd originally intended on having them meet in Sephiroth's office, but getting Aerith there had been a problem and their new apartment was in a more security strict area.

It was mid afternoon when they were finally all together. "The rocket is nearly finished." Cloud began, "It needs some tests to be done, but I think we can skip most of them. The only problem is getting Jenova _into_ the rocket, and then actually launching it."

"Cid wont be happy with you." Aerith pointed out. "Shinra wont build another rocket."

Cloud grimaced and nodded, "I know, but we don't have much of a choice. This is our best bet..."

"How are we going to move Jenova?" Sephiroth asked, "We could barely be in the same town as her, let alone carry her with us."

"I've been thinking about that." Aerith said, "Imprisoning her in Mako crystals isn't a very good long term solution, but it might be enough to transport her."

"How do we even do that?" Zack asked, looking at Aerith as if she would have all the answers. She just shrugged.

"There are only two people that I know of that have ever done it." Cloud said slowly, turning to Sephiroth, "I'm assuming you don't know how your counterpart managed it?" There was a surprised look and a shake of the head. "Didn't think so."

"Who else?" Sephiroth asked.

"Lucrecia Crescent." Cloud said quietly, "I don't know how helpful she'll be. As far as I'm aware, she isn't all that talkative."

"Pretty much all she says is 'I'm sorry'." Zeke mumbled, "But maybe if Sephiroth talked to her, she might wake up enough?"

"You told me my mother disappeared." Sephiroth's tone was dangerous, accusatory.

"She did." Cloud said, "And when I told you about her, I didn't know how you'd react." He added, "Telling you your mother tried to kill herself and instead ended up locked in a crystal mako stasis might not've gone down well if you reacted badly."

"Cloud," Aerith scolded, "You didn't have to say it like that!"

Cloud just shrugged. He'd been a little put off by the darkness in Sephiroth's tone and had felt defensive. Maybe he could have said things a little more nicely, but the truth was the truth.

He looked at Sephiroth who gave him a nod. The man understood at least.

"Then we go and see Lucrecia." Sephiroth said quietly, "That's our first step. Hopefully she will be helpful and we will have a containment strategy."

"Then all we have to do is figure out how to get Jenova to Rocket Town, load her on the ship and steal it from Cid. How hard could that be?" Zeke asked with a cheeky grin.

– – – – – – – –

Coming up with a plausible reason for the five of them to take a helicopter to the western continent was surprisingly easy this time. All Sephiroth had had to do was walk into the Directors office and inform him of his intentions and Lazard had signed off on it.

"That was too easy." Cloud muttered as he, Zack and Sephiroth left the office.

Sephiroth chuckled and shook his head, "After we came back from Nibelheim, I simply pointed out to him how much of his paperwork I do, and how difficult I could make his life."

"I did wonder why you had to do so much paperwork." Zack commented.

"It was either that, or take on a third to train." Sephiroth told them. "Genesis and I chose paperwork. Angeal chose you."

"Huh. I did wonder..."

"So how far does this go?" Cloud asked, curiosity getting the better of him, "How much can you ask for before he shoots you down?"

"I'll let you know when I find out." Sephiroth promised. "In the mean time, I will be in the training room. It's been a while since I've flown a helicopter."

"Wait, you're our pilot!?" Zack seemed quite put out by the idea, but Cloud had a feeling that Sephiroth wasn't as rusty at the skill as he was making out to be.

– – – – – – – – –

As Cloud had predicted, Sephiroth was actually not a bad pilot. He was nowhere near the level of expert that Cid was, he wasn't even as good as Reno had been in the future, but he managed to lift off, get them there and land safely.

It had been a hell of a bumpy ride, and the minute they landed, Cloud shot off and found himself kneeling in the grass, stomach churning. He'd been a lot better about his motion sickness in the past few years, but now he realised it was because he was always the one driving. Being in a helicopter with a professional pilot was bad, being in one with someone who was more or less a novice was very bad.

His stomach contents now on the grass, Cloud sat up and groaned. A bottle of water was shoved in front of his face and he took it, washing his mouth out and then drinking some. "Sorry." Sephiroth said quietly beside him, a hand gently rubbing his back.

Cloud couldn't manage more than a grunt in reply, but handed the water back. After a moment, he felt well enough to get on with things. He stood and nodded at Sephiroth. "Shall we?" He asked, gesturing to the cave.

There had been barely enough space to land the helicopter, but somehow Sephiroth had managed it. Unfortunately it meant that getting to the cave was a little trickier. They had to shuffle past the helicopter on a tiny sliver of land. One wrong move would send them plummeting in to the waters below.

Zeke cheated. Instead of going around, he waited for the helicopter to fully shut down and simply jumped on top and walked over it. If Cloud hadn't already been several steps along the treacherous path, he probably would have followed him.

They made it to the cave entrance safely, and stopped at the entrance. "You okay?" Cloud asked Sephiroth, thinking that he was probably nervous to meet his mother, and that was why he'd stopped.

However, Sephiroth tilted his chin, indicating that they weren't alone and that he could hear something inside.

"I'll check it out." Cloud said, sipping past Sephiroth and into the cave.

It was darker than he remembered, and further in. But then, his memories weren't always the most reliable. He made his way to the crystal chamber, hand on the hilt of his weapon, ready for anything. Upon seeing who was already there, Cloud relaxed.

"Vincent." He stepped forward, making sure to keep enough distance between them that the man wouldn't spook. In this time, he didn't know him and Cloud knew how wary he was of strangers. Gaia only knew how he would respond to one being here.

"Do I know you?" Came the deep reply.

"No. Not really." Cloud answered, chancing a step forward. "But I'm the one who gave Zack the map to give to you." He hadn't actually asked Zack if he'd done as Cloud had asked, but obviously he had. Idly he wondered how that conversation had gone. He still remembered Vincent's reluctance to wake up in the first place.

"Hmm." Vincent stood, turning to face Cloud. The man didn't look any different from when Cloud had last seen him in the future. "Then you are the one who knew she was here..."

Cloud just nodded, making no sudden moves.

"Your companion said that you had come from the future."

"Did he now?" That was supposed to be a secret, "It's true." He told Vincent, not that he thought for a second that the man would believe him. Then again, he did have a literal demon living inside him. That could make anyone have a more open mind.

"Then I thank you."

Cloud nodded, then hesitated, "Vincent, are you aware that you're the father of Lucrecia's son?" He asked him quietly. He had no idea how the Vincent of the future had found out, but he was pretty sure that the man hadn't known before Cloud left. Vincent was silent.

"Think about the timing." He said quietly, "Hojo may have claimed him, but Sephiroth is your son."

"Do you have proof of this?"

"No. But the information comes from the Vincent Valentine from my time." Damn it all, Cloud had forgotten just how suspicious Vincent was of strangers. It had taken him a long time to get Vincent's trust. He knew that his Vincent wouldn't have asked any questions, if Cloud said it was so, he would have believed it unless he had reason not to.

This Vincent, however, didn't know Cloud. He had no reason to trust him. "Weather you believe me or not, "Cloud continued, "He's here."

"You brought him here?" Over a decade of knowing the man gave Cloud some advantages. While Vincent was giving off a tone of annoyance, he was actually afraid and anxious.

"Yes." Cloud didn't sugar coat it, Vincent didn't need pleasantries. "We need Lucrecia's help. We thought she may be more willing to communicate if we brought him."

"How... is he?" Vincent asked, looking towards the entrance of the cave.

"Right now, probably worried about me." Cloud admitted, "I went on ahead to scout the area. You have a choice right now." He added, stepping further forward again. Now he was within arms reach of Vincent. "Either you can disappear, or you can meet him. But we need him to come in here, and we need him to talk to her."

Over a decade of knowing the man really did have its advantages. Cloud knew that Vincent was reaching for his gun a fraction of a second after the hand moved, before it could be pointed at him, Cloud had his own weapon drawn. He held it in front of him, but didn't aim it directly at Vincent. "I trained with another you for more than ten years." He told the man, "I know your moves better than you do." The warning was clear. "Stand down." Obviously Vincent didn't like the idea of someone else speaking with Lucrecia. Cloud couldn't blame him. She'd told him about the visions she'd had about Sephiroth.

There was a pause, and Vincent's gun was replaced in its holster. The man gave Cloud a long look, sizing him up and deciding weather or not he could trust this man. Slowly, he gave a nod and stepped back in to the shadows. Cloud wasn't entirely sure if he was going to leave or not, but that was up to him.

Keeping his senses open, Cloud turned around and returned to the entrance. In his time, he would have no problems turning his back to Vincent, in fact, there were times when he preferred it that way – that way he knew that his back was being watched – but right then, in that cold, dark cave, Cloud knew he couldn't entirely trust Vincent.

The thought made his heart ache and reminded him just how much he'd lost.

"Clear." He called out, the moment that he was close enough to the entrance that he would be heard clearly over the waterfalls.

One by one his party joined him and he lead the way back into Lucrecia's cavern.

Sephiroth had hesitated only slightly before entering the room where his mother slept, and Cloud couldn't blame him. This had to be an emotionally charged time for the man. He didn't know if it was helping or not, but Cloud found that he'd placed his hand on Sephiroth's arm and was squeezing it very lightly.

He stepped away from Sephiroth and approached Lucrecia. She was exactly as he remembered her, dressed in white, her eyes closed like she was asleep and crystals surrounding her.

"Lucrecia." He spoke quietly, knowing that volume wouldn't change whether she could hear him or not. "My name is Cloud Strife." He told her, "I brought you your son."

– – – – – – –


	23. A New Uniform

To The Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 22 – A New Uniform

There was silence in the cave. Cloud wasn't sure what he'd expected, but apparently being completely ignored was not it. He honestly had no idea what to do next – making things up as he went along didn't always work out well for him – thankfully he was spared from the decision by Sephiroth stepping forward.

"Mother." His voice was hesitant and sounded so small. Cloud couldn't imagine what the man was thinking or feeling, he only hoped that he was strong enough to get through this. "Mother, I need your help." Sephiroth continued, taking another step forward, hand reaching out to the woman encased in Crystal.

He was now at the edge of the pool in front of Lucrecia, his hand reaching out a little as he looked at her, seeing his mother for the first time. His eyes were wide and Cloud could see the vulnerability in them. The man was nervous, afraid, and looked very human. The light of the crystals gave his face a pale glow and Cloud thought it oddly beautiful in a sad way.

There was a long silence, and Cloud felt a growing disappointment in him. He really had believed that Lucrecia would help if Sephiroth asked for it, that she would speak and tell them what they needed to know. But it looked like she was going to remain silent. He stepped forward, ready to give Sephiroth a comforting hand if he needed it. Whatever happened here, he would be there for his friend. Even if his mother remained silent. Especially if she remained silent.

Except, she didn't. After a few moments, her voice rang out, quiet and echoing. " _ **My son... My Sephiroth...**_ "

The party held their breath and watched, waiting.

"Mother... I need to know the secrets of the crystal stasis." Sephiroth continued, voice still quiet and unsure. "We must remove Jenova's influence over this world..."

It was either difficult for Lucrecia to form words, or she simply didn't want to speak. She took her time, each sentence taking what seemed like forever to come. But they were patient. They had to be. At this point, the crystal stasis was their only plan.

" _ **The lifestream... Use the lifestream... Surround and consume... Will to die... Will to live...**_ "

That had made absolutely no sense to Cloud, but it was something to puzzle over later. Right now, they needed to hear everything she had to say.

Her next words were a lot clearer, almost sounding as if she was speaking into Cloud's ear. " _ **He will know when it is needed. The white of light, the end of life. He will know what to do and where to go. He will know his journey must end.**_ "

Then, there was silence. Nothing. The light from the crystals seemed to dull. Lucrecia had said all she was going to. None of it had made sense to Cloud and he could only hope that one of the others had understood what she had meant.

Beside him, Zeke was regarding Lucrecia with curiosity and Cloud had to wonder if he'd ever actually met her or not. Cloud had never taken him to the cave, but the boy had said he spent years living with Vincent.

Quietly, Zack ushered Aerith out of the cave, leaving them to it.

"You really are her son."

Sephiroth jumped at the voice, his weapon drawn in moments as he turned around. Beside Cloud, Zeke gave a start and a happy noise and Cloud placed his hand on his son's shoulders to stop him from running towards where Vincent was revealing himself.

"Stand down Sephiroth." Cloud said quietly. "He's not an enemy." Or at least, Cloud hoped that he wasn't. People were different in this timeline. He'd learned that a long time ago, and there was none of the trust or history between himself and Vincent. But he had to trust that Vincent would do them no harm.

On Cloud's word, Sephiroth relaxed and slowly sheathed Masamune, keeping his eyes on the stranger.

"Yes," He answered the man's question. "I am Sephiroth."

Vincent approached carefully and Sephiroth stood his ground. Vincent was actually slightly shorter than Sephiroth, but side by side, the resemblance was uncanny. Both men apparently liked silence and Cloud suddenly missed Zack's ability to let out a constant stream of words.

"You are Vincent?" Cloud heard Sephiroth ask and after the man gave a small nod, Sephiroth continued, "Then you are my father."

"So I have been told."

"I will admit," Sephiroth said to the man, "That I have very little to say to you."

Vincent nodded in agreement and Cloud wondered if either of them felt as awkward as he did right then. "Vincent..." He said, partially to fill the void of sound, and partly to save Sephiroth from feeling like he had to. "We're on a mission to destroy Jenova. We could use all the help we can get..."

The offer was there. Join us. Help us on our mission. Get to know your son. Her son. Cloud could see that Vincent was contemplating that, he was weighing all the pros and cons of the idea. After a moment, the man shook his head.

"Perhaps in the future." He told Cloud, "I have things I have to do first."

Cloud could understand that. The man had been asleep for over two decades. He had a lot to catch up on. When Cloud next spoke, it wasn't to try to convince the man to join them – he knew that would be a waste of time – but instead he told him exactly how to find their living room window from outside. Once this information had been given, Vincent nodded and stepped back into the shadows.

After a moment, Cloud knew they were alone. He turned to Zeke, ready to offer him some comfort but the boy was making a show of staying strong and Cloud knew that any attempts to comfort him would break that. Instead, he gave him a little tilt of his head, silently asking if the boy was okay. Zeke gave him a single nod before turning around and leaving the cave.

Cloud watched him go before stepping closer to Sephiroth. "Sephiroth.." He stood beside his friend, looking up at him. The man's face was a mess of emotions, almost as if he didn't know what to feel. He looked so lost, so confused and Cloud wanted to take that negativity away. He didn't know how to comfort people, so he wondered what Aerith and Tifa would have done.

Which is how he ended up pulling Sephiroth into a hug, holding him close. It took only a second for Sephiroth to return the gesture and once again, Cloud was stuck with the feeling of _right_. That this was how it was supposed to be. Emotionally connected and safe.

They stood like that for several moments, both swimming in confusing emotions, but eventually, Cloud pulled back. "Did any of what she said make sense to you?" He asked and Sephiroth shook his head.

"Not really, no."

Cloud only hoped that Aerith had understood.

– – – – – – –

The others were waiting for them outside the cave. Zack was leaning against the helicopter and Aerith was stood admiring the view. Cloud had to admit that it was a really nice area, surprisingly warm considering it's location, and peaceful. No wonder Vincent had come here so often. It reminded Cloud of the church in his time, and wondered if maybe it was as special to Vincent as the church was for him.

"Can we go now!?" Zeke called from inside the helicopter. "I'm hungry!"

That caused a few chuckles in the party and they made their slightly perilous journey back to the chopper, this time both Sephiroth and Cloud followed Zeke's earlier example, and Zack carefully helped Aerith across.

Cloud wasn't looking forward to the journey back, and suddenly very much missed his bike. He was about to swing himself down and on board when a hand on his arm stopped him. Sephiroth was still beside him on the roof of the helicopter, and he reached into his pocket. "I had forgotten to give you one on the way out," He said, apology in his voice. He handed Cloud a foil packet of pills and Cloud realised they were to combat motion sickness.

With a nod of thanks, Cloud took one and swung down into the helicopter, ready for their return journey.

– – – – – – – – –

The ride back wasn't as bad as the ride out, the medication doing their job, but Cloud's stomach was still rolling by the time the chopper landed. He was one of the first off the vehicle, suddenly thankful for solid ground beneath his boots.

Instead of taking Aerith directly down below the plate, Zack instead suggested that they get food. Cloud's stomach really wasn't in a good place for it, but he agreed – it would give them time to discuss things and Zeke was still complaining about being hungry.

They went to the same small Cafe that the boys had been in earlier that week. They took a corner table as far from the entrance as they could and ordered. Sephiroth even insisted that Cloud eat something, even if it was only toast.

"So... did anyone actually understand what Lucrecia was getting at?" Zack asked after their food and drinks had been delivered.

"I think... I might?" Aerith volunteered, "She said to use the lifestream and to surround and consume... I think we have to submerge Jenova in mako... But the next bit... I don't know. My people imprisoned her in mako crystals before, so I don't think that she was talking about Jenova needing the will... I... I'll talk to the planet." She said hesitantly, "And see if I can get clarification..."

"But what about the last bit?" Zeke asked quietly, moving the food around on his plate without actually eating any. "That whole 'he will know' thing...?" Nobody had any answers for that and they spent a few silent minutes thinking about it.

– – – – – – – –

Aerith had been taken back home, and Zeke and Zack were safely in their apartment. Cloud left them to the show they were watching and quietly walked down the corridor. There were only five apartments on this floor, and Sephiroth had the one at the very end of the building. Cloud hesitated for a moment before knocking. There was every chance that the man was still in his office dealing with his seemingly never ending paperwork, and a part of Cloud hoped that the door wasn't answered.

But it was. Sephiroth was stood behind the open door, wearing nothing but sweat pants. It was the most casual Cloud had ever seen the man, and it gave him pause. He brushed of his surprise and gestured to the apartment, silently asking permission to enter. Sephiroth stepped aside and Cloud walked in.

It was sparse. It was the same size as Cloud and Zeke's apartment but with only about half the furniture. It was somehow fitting, but also a little sad. When the door behind him closed, Cloud turned to Sephiroth. The man looked a little puzzled but waited for Cloud to speak.

"Sorry. It's late." Cloud started, not sure exactly why he had come. "I just... wanted to..." Check on him? Was that really why he'd come? To see if the man was okay? Well...Cloud did have a vested interest in Sephiroth's continued sanity – and his mental health overall. So it did make sense. Cloud decided that he really should think about things before taking action.

"Are you okay?" He asked finally, pushing past the slight awkwardness he felt. He wasn't good at this emotion thing.

Sephiroth gave a small nod, a tired smile momentarily appearing on his face. "I think I am." He said quietly, stepping closer to Cloud. The air was suddenly charged with something that Cloud refused to believe was sexual and Cloud turned away from Sephiroth to sit down on the couch.

"It's been a long day," He carried on, trying to act as if he hadn't felt whatever that had been. No. Just no. He wasn't going to think about it. "You met your mother..." He allowed the nervousness to enter his voice then, he'd been worried about Sephiroth.

"You are worried for my sanity?" Sephiroth took a seat at the other end of the couch, mercifully leaving space between them.

"A little... But... More on your emotional stability I guess. You're my friend and... I don't know. Friends are supposed to help with this emotional stuff." Not that Cloud had ever really figured out how. He mostly reacted on instinct, and generally got things wrong.

The small tired smile was back on Sephiroth's face and he nodded, leaning back on the couch and relaxing. "I'm not entirely sure what to make of things," He said eventually, "Meeting both my mother and father was not something I had ever expected. But we have more important things to worry about and think on. When this is over, I will have time to process things."

Cloud could understand that reasoning, he used it himself, after all. He nodded in agreement and the silence that followed was back to being comfortable. Maybe just physically being in the same room was enough to comfort the man.

– – – – – – –

Cloud had apparently fallen asleep on Sephiroth's couch. When he woke up, he was still there and there was a blanket draped over him and a pillow under his head. He felt groggy, but a familiar scent permeated the air as a cup was pushed under his nose. He let out a soft appreciative groan and reached for the coffee.

It was still sickly sweet for him, but it was coffee. Ready made. First thing in the morning.

"Thanks." He muttered. "What time is it?"

"0600." Sephiroth picked up the blanket that had been around Cloud and folded it. "You fell asleep and did not want to be woken." There was a hint of amusement in Sephiroth's voice, and Cloud wondered what exactly he'd done when Sephiroth had tried to wake him up earlier. "We have a mission today."

"Huh?" Cloud didn't remember being told about a mission, and he hadn't signed up for one. Lazard usually gave them a little more notice when possible.

"Monsters moving towards Kalm."

So it wasn't anything major. Just a bit of a work out really. Actually, it sounded nice. A good way to let out pent up emotions. He gave a nod, understanding what this was actually about. There was no way that a few stray monsters required two of Shinra's top SOLDIERS, so Cloud assumed that Sephiroth was pulling strings again.

No wonder there were rumours about the two of them.

– – – – – – – –

Cloud had been mostly right. The mission was an excuse to let off steam, but apparently that wasn't all it was. Upon returning to Midgar, Director Lazard had requested an in person mission report – something that was only really done for major missions – and Cloud and Sephiroth had dutifully made their way to his office.

"Protocol required that you could not be promoted until directly after a mission." Lazard seemed tired, possibly even stressed. Cloud knew that there had been some things going on that he hadn't been privy to and wondered just how bad they were. Zack seemed to mostly deal with the missions regarding that matter and he wouldn't share any information with Cloud, stating that he'd been ordered not to.

That was fine with Cloud. If Zack had believed that it was something that could help him in his actual mission, Cloud had no doubt that Zack would tell him – orders be damned.

"Sir?" Cloud asked, still hating that word.

"Congratulations, Storm. You are officially promoted to SOLDIER First Class."

Right. They'd had a talk about that. Had it really only been two months? No. It had been longer. Two months was the minimum, not the maximum. Cloud had completely forgotten that Lazard had wanted him as a First. It made sense. Cloud was already at least equal to Sephiroth in terms of ability and strength, and while he hadn't been called on a lot of missions, now that he was a first, Shinra could use him if they needed to.

Why have one super SOLDIER when you could have two?

"As a First, there are a few perks." Lazard continued, "You are no longer held to strict uniform requirements and are free to modify your uniform as you see fit. As long as you keep the insignia easily seen." Cloud nodded, that made sense. Sephiroth never wore the full uniform. Did the man even own a shirt? "You may also turn down missions should you wish to. And... I have officially rescinded the shadow order."

Not that that really mattered any more. Cloud was so used to constantly being in Zack's or Sephiroth's company, that he'd actually forgotten that they'd been ordered to follow him around. It just felt natural now.

"Congratulations." Lazard said again, this time in a tone that basically said 'now go away'.

"Thank you sir." Cloud gave a nod and left, Sephiroth following him.

"You don't seem pleased." Sephiroth stated as they got on the elevator.

"Why would I be?" Cloud asked, "It's just a rank. I only joined SOLDIER to get close to you."

"Mission accomplished." Sephiroth chuckled, "A long time ago. Why did you stay?"

"What were my other choices? Shinra has resources I can use and I have allies here." Cloud turned to Sephiroth and offered him a smile, "Don't worry. For the foreseeable future, I'm not going anywhere. At least not until my mission is complete."

Sephiroth's face became unreadable, even to Cloud and the man gave a nod. The elevator doors opened and they walked together in silence until they came to Cloud's door. Sephiroth hesitated, turning to Cloud instead of returning to his own rooms. "And after?" He asked.

While the man could disguise emotion on his face, he couldn't seem to do it in his voice. Cloud could pick up on the uncertainty. "I don't know." He said truthfully, wishing he could be more reassuring. "But I have a feeling that whatever I intend to do, I'll have your back up."

A small smile found its way onto Sephiroth's face and he nodded once. "Unless you decide to summon a meteor and destroy the world." He said dryly and Cloud laughed in surprise.

– – – – – –

Cloud had gone ahead and modified his uniform. He added a zip to the black shirt, removed one of the pauldrons and added a small dust cover around his waist (no matter what Yuffie said, Cloud had refused to call it a 'butt cape'). It was very similar to what he'd worn on Advent Day, All that was missing were the extra holsters (he was still using the magnetic one that came with the standard uniform) and the one sleeve. He'd even retrieved his ribbon and tied it around his arm. The last difference, of course, was the SOLDIER insignia belt he wore around his waist.

"Looking good!" Zack commented as Cloud walked out of his room. He shrugged and made his way to their small kitchen to make coffee. "So," Zack bounced up from the couch and joined Cloud, "When are we going to celebrate?"

Cloud just gave Zack a tired look and shook his head. "We're not." He said, "I'm not proud."

"Huh?"

It was then, that Cloud realised just how much of his past he hadn't told Zack. "I was a member of AVALANCHE." He told him. They'd previously checked the rooms for bugs, so Cloud knew it was safe to discuss this sort of thing with Zack. "I spent a year blowing up reactors and sabotaging whatever I could find. Being in SOLDIER isn't exactly my proudest achievement."

Zack was staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. "W-" Zack seemed to be having trouble forming sentences and Cloud sighed. He downed his coffee and poured himself another one, gesturing to the couch.

They sat down, and Cloud began to speak. "I told you that Zack – the one from my timeline – died so I could live?" Zack nodded, "And I told you that I was an escaped experiment on the run from Shinra?" Another nod, "Zack took down an entire army before he died. We'd spent a year on the run. He _carried_ me from Nibelheim to Midgar because I was catatonic from the experiments."

Zack's expression was grave, he was listening, paying attention.

"He was one of the best. He was almost strong enough to take out Sephiroth. And they chased him down and slaughtered him. Why would I have pride working for an organisation that would do that? And then I found out that mako energy is slowly draining the planet of her blood." He shook his head, "I started with AVALANCHE as a mercenary but.. I ended up in charge."

"But... AVALANCHE aren't... much better." Zack had a dark look on his face, and Cloud remembered something.

He shook his head, "The AVALANCHE that's around now fell. A couple of years before Barret started it up again. We actually had nothing to do with them. Just the same overall goal and the same name I think. I don't really remember. I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention at that point."

"Overall goal?" Zack questioned.

"To bring down Shinra and prevent the use of mako energy." Cloud gave a sly smile, "Technically, when Shinra fell, it wasn't because of us."

"What happened?"

"A meteor fell on it."

Zack burst out laughing and Cloud smiled as he drank the rest of his coffee.

"So you guys stopped the meteor, but decided to let it fall on Shinra first?" Zack asked between giggles and Cloud shook his head.

"No. Shinra was just collateral damage. After Meteorfall the people weren't interested in Shinra any more and a new organisation was started. It became a sort of government, but it's officials were elected. Reeve won by popular vote because he'd been involved in stopping Meteor and he knew what he was doing. He sort of became the world leader, but he still came to the members of AVALANCHE for advice." He shrugged.

"So... You're not fond of Shinra, and you aren't proud to be in SOLDIER... Why did you join?" Zack asked.

"To get close to Sephiroth." Cloud shrugged, "And I stay because Shinra has resources I can use and I don't want to go on the run again if I can help it."

Zack nodded, still frowning a little. Cloud had to give the man credit. Over the last several months, he really had given Zack a lot of information, including telling him about how he'd died in Cloud's timeline. It was easy to forget just how young the SOLDIER was. Barely an adult, and yet he was taking everything in and still managing to keep his bright demeanour. Cloud had to admit he was a little jealous.

– – – – – – –


	24. A New City

To The Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 24 – A New City

It had been a week since they had returned from Lucrecia's cave and Aerith was no closer to finding the answer to their current problem. Cloud hated not knowing what to do next, but he was somewhat used to it. Most of what he did he made up as he went along. He realised that he had a habit of seeing a problem, going to where the problem was, and then just somehow fixing it.

Now, however, it wasn't really an option. Getting too close to Jenova without a containment plan was just a bad idea. Back when he was journeying to stop Meteorfall he'd had the rest of his party to snap him out of Jenova's control, now three out of five of their party were susceptible to her influence. Which meant just going there and seeing what they could do would probably result in more harm done than solutions found.

Which meant that Cloud literally had nothing to do with his time until they could think of something. This mission was proving to be his longest yet, and he didn't like it.

Which was why he found alone in a bar one evening. He wasn't entirely sure why he was there, but it probably had something to do with homesickness. The bar reminded him of 7th Heaven and for a moment, he could let himself believe that he was home. The bartender wasn't Tifa, and he didn't recognise any of the patrons, but it was as close as he was going to get.

Unfortunately, being alone in a bar attracted the wrong kind of people. He had been sitting, nursing his drink when a bulky man slid in to the booth opposite him. He regarded the stranger for a moment, a displeased look on his face.

"Can I help you?" His tone was probably a little more icy than it should have been, but Cloud wasn't exactly in a good mood.

"Sure you can darlin'." The man gave Cloud a smile that set him on edge. He supposed it was supposed to be charming, but it came across a lot more creepy. "You can start by givin' me your number."

Was this man seriously trying to flirt with Cloud? If he was, he was going the complete wrong way about it.

"Not interested." Cloud informed him, wanting the man to just go away.

"Oh come on, why else would you be here? A pretty face like yours shouldn't be alone in a place like this if you aint lookin'." The man leaned over the table and Cloud leaned back a little.

In his time, he'd been well known and most people were intimidated by him. The man who could kill Sephiroth wasn't someone to be trifled with, and there weren't many people that would approach him. And those who did had done it with a lot more respect.

In this time period, he wasn't quite as well known, but he wasn't exactly _unknown_. He'd gained a reputation for matching Sephiroth in battle and he was one of only three First Class SOLDIERs. Honestly, Cloud hadn't expected to be bothered.

"I'm not here for you." Cloud told the man, trying to make his disinterest even more clear.

"But you could be." The man moved his eyebrows in a strange way and Cloud absently wondered if that had ever worked.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" He asked, starting to actually be amused. He could handle himself if this creep tried to take things too far, and Cloud was starting to hope that he'd have an excuse to hit him.

"Nah, I'm new to town. Should I? Are you someone famous?" If anything, that seemed to excite the man even further.

"Something like that." He shook his head and picked up his glass, downing it in one go. He fully intended on leaving. "I'm leaving." It wasn't an invitation, but the stranger seemed to take it so. He followed Cloud as he left the bar.

Once outside, Cloud turned on the man, weapon drawn and held to his throat. "You need to learn how to take no for an answer." He growled.

"Hey! Hold up, I thought you were just playin' hard to get!" The man had his hands in the air and was standing very still. Good.

"I have no idea how you got that impression, but you need to learn better social skills. Get. Lost." He moved his blade back only enough for the man to be able to flee, but he didn't. Instead, he just took a step back and glared at Cloud.

"You'll change your mind." He told him, "I'm gonna be in SOLDIER, then you'll be chasin' _me_." He finally stepped back and left.

Cloud had no idea who that was, but he knew one thing for sure. Regardless of whether or not the man made it into SOLDIER, Cloud would never be interested.

– – – – – – –

By the time Cloud returned to the plate, he was in an even worse mood than when he'd left. Instead of going home, which had been his original plan, he found himself heading to the training room. It was in use, but he decided to wait in the observation area. Now that he was a First, he'd found that the Seconds and Thirds would actually ask him for advice. It was strange, but Cloud had actually found it flattering.

He was sure that whoever was using it, wouldn't mind him observing and he didn't really have anything better to do.

He wasn't expecting the occupants to be Sephiroth and Zeke. They seemed to be sparing and Zeke was more or less keeping up with Sephiroth. The older man had a lot more experience, but Zeke had the same enhancements which gave him an advantage. He was smaller than Sephiroth, and faster, he'd also had some training with an ex-Turk and had his own style.

Cloud hadn't seen Zeke fight since he'd been five years old. The boy had improved dramatically and Cloud had to admit that he was both impressed and proud. Zeke had learned how to use his disappearing blade to his advantage, letting it go from one hand so that it could appear in the other almost instantly. It made him a lot more flexible in his style.

It also left a lot of openings that Sephiroth wasn't above exploiting. Cloud had noticed that none of Sephiroth's blows actually did any damage – not even a scratch – only striking hard enough so that Zeke could feel them. Once again, Cloud was impressed with Sephiroth's abilities to pull his blows at the last moment.

Sephiroth seemed to notice him and after a moment called the match to an end. As soon as they had put their weapons down, Zeke doubled over to catch his breath, grinning from ear to ear.

At some point in their battle, Zeke's hat had fallen off, letting his hair spill down his back. Cloud retrieved it as he walked into the room and handed it to his son, who quickly put it back on. "That was impressive." Cloud commented, a hand on Zeke's shoulder. "You're using some of Tifa's and Yuffie's moves."

Zeke nodded, "And Vincent showed me some stuff too. Swapping hands was his idea. I need to practice though." He admitted, touching his side where Sephiroth had landed a few blows. "I keep leaving my left open..."

"That's because you're used to fighting with your left hand." Sephiroth told him. "You simply need to practice more. Eventually you'll learn."

"I'd probably learn quicker if you'd actually hit me." Zeke had a small pout on his face, "I'm not a baby."

"No. But you _are_ my friend's child. It would not do me well to harm you."

"Actually, Zeke's right." Cloud's hand was absently rubbing at the scar on his chest. He _had_ learned a lot faster because of the pain. He'd made sure to cover that gap after the second run in with Masamune. "I had a hole in my defences that I didn't shake until after I was impaled a few times."

A strange look came over Sephiroth's face, but Cloud ignored it, continuing with what he'd been saying. "I'm not saying you should stab him, but don't be afraid to hurt him a little. He has the same enhancements as you, he'll heal." Pretty quickly too.

After a moment, Sephiroth nodded. "The room is yours, if you wish to use it." Sephiroth offered, gesturing around.

Cloud shook his head, he actually felt better now, he didn't need to let off any steam. He wasn't entirely sure why the stranger in the bar had pissed him off so much, but now that he was among friends, it didn't seem to matter. "How about dinner?" He offered instead.

– – – – – – –

"So, are you coming to the SOLDIER exams?" Zack asked the next morning over breakfast.

"What? I'm already in SOLDIER..." Had Zack hit his head or something? Why would Cloud need to redo the exams?

"Hah! No. For the new batch. We get more recruits every six months or so, and there's a new lot coming in today. We're allowed to go and watch and if we like someone or dislike them, that gets taken into account. Actually, if one of us says no, then that person doesn't get in even if they pass everything."

Had Cloud really been in SOLDIER for six months already? Half a year. A lot had happened, but it didn't feel that long.

"Can I come?" Zeke asked, once again with his mouth full. Cloud shot him a look and the boy swallowed before repeating his question. "Can I come watch?"

"Sure." Zack grinned, "The more the merrier. And you never know, you might learn something."

"Doubt it." The boy once again attempted to steal some of Zack's food, but the man was quicker this time. It had become somewhat routine and Cloud watched in amusement as the boys had a small mock fight with their knives. While they were distracted, Cloud swooped in and stole the piece of bacon they were fighting over.

"Hey!" Both Zack's cried foul but Cloud just smirked at them as he ate the meat.

– – – – – – –

There were a lot of new recruits this time, far more than there had been when Cloud had joined. At least two dozen young men were waiting with various levels of anxiety. Cloud spotted a vaguely familiar face and frowned as he watched the man.

For all of his boasting and his over inflated ego, the stranger from the bar was decidedly average when it came to sword work. Cloud smirked and shook his head, knowing that the man would most likely fail. Regardless, he turned to Zack and asked him a question.

The recruits hadn't expected a second combat test, and they stood around in confusion and apprehension as the doors opened. Cloud strode in to the room and those that recognised him gave a hasty salute. The man that had Cloud's attention was giving him a confused look.

"You think you have what it takes?" Cloud asked the man, "If you can beat me in battle, I will personally sign off on you joining."

"Just who are you?" The man asked, taking a ready stance. "You challenged me, but you aint even got your sword..."

"I don't need it." Okay, so maybe Cloud was showing off a little. But this man deserved to be humiliated. There was no way that Cloud was the only person that he'd pursued in that way, and the idea of this man getting away with unspeakable things made him angry.

The man smirked and raised his weapon. "Fine. Don't cry to me when you loose." And without waiting, he lunged, aiming a powerful blow at Cloud.

Cloud simply stepped out of the way. And then again, and again, for the next ten attempts. There weren't even any close calls and Cloud wondered just how long the man had been training for. It obviously wasn't very long.

After about five minutes of dodging blows, Cloud began to get bored so he changed tactics. When the man next rushed him, he stood his ground, moving at the last possible second and disarming him in one swift move. He turned and aimed the sword directly at the man's throat.

"You need to check your ego." Cloud told him, "You're impulsive and disrespectful. You are unable to follow orders and won't take no for an answer." His tone and his arm were steady. "Until you can learn your place, we will not be accepting you into SOLDIER." He handed the sword back and turned to walk away.

"And who the hell are you to make that decision? I passed the first exam! I got what it takes!" The man really didn't know how to take no for an answer, did he?

Cloud had reached the door but he turned back to look at him. "Cloud Storm, SOLDIER First Class." He introduced himself before making his exit.

When he got back to the observation room, Zack was cackling. "You should have seen the look on his face!" Zack told Cloud, "He was getting so pissed off with you! That was mean! What did he do to piss you off so much?"

Cloud just shrugged, feeling a little heat on his face. He probably shouldn't have been so impulsive, but the man had needed an ego check. "He hit on me and wouldn't take no for an answer." He told Zack with a another shrug, "I had to threaten him to get him to back down." Beside Zack, Cloud could see Sephiroth's face darken, but the man didn't move, instead he watched the SOLDIER applicants.

The man from the bar had been practically thrown out of the room, and Cloud only hoped that that would be the last he saw of him. The others were all chatting excitedly and Cloud realised that they hadn't known that the Firsts were watching.

– – – – – – – – –

It was still new to Cloud, the fact that he was a First. It had been something he'd once dreamed of, but now... now it was just another rank. But the way that other people regarded him reminded him strongly of the people of Edge in the days after Advent Day, when word had got out that it had been he and his companions that had cured Geostigma.

He wasn't entirely sure he liked it. Some people looked at him with awe, others with fear and he missed the days when he could just blend in with the crowd. Of course, walking around with Sephiroth and Zack would have prevented that anywhere, but he'd been expecting fewer looks aimed at him and more at his friends.

They had been sent to Junon. Cloud wasn't entirely sure why, but he'd jumped at the chance to leave Midgar for a while. He'd been disappointed when Zeke had refused to come and had decided to spend the week with Aerith instead, but that didn't take away from the fact that it felt good to be under the sun. It had been Sephiroth and Zack that had been given the mission, but when Cloud had asked to join them, he wasn't told no, so he had.

Apparently the mission they'd been sent on had been over quickly and now they found themselves with some downtime. Zack had insisted that they check out the local bars.

"You might not be able to get drunk," He told them, "But _I_ can, and I think I deserve a night of fun!" Cloud rolled his eyes at him, but agreed to come along anyway.

Which is how the three of them ended up inside a dimly lit bar below street level. Zack, true to his word, had got drunk and was attempting to sing something on the karaoke machine. He was quite terrible and Cloud wondered why he'd chosen to sing a song from Wutai when he obviously didn't know the language. Still, it was amusing. When Zack came back to their table, he found Cloud trying very hard not to laugh.

"What?" He asked, standing up as tall as he could with his hands on his hips, this only made Cloud let out the laughter he'd been holding in.

"Do you realise that you pronounced those words so wrong that you spent the last three minutes singing about breasts?" He asked, unable to contain his mirth.

"What? What's the song supposed to be about?" Zack asked, tilting his head to one side.

"A young girl asking when her father is returning from the war." Sephiroth informed him, a smile playing at his lips. "And you somehow made it about female secondary reproductive organs."

"Huh?" Zack looked between them for a moment, swaying slightly at the motion. Cloud reached up and snagged the man's collar, pulling him to sit on his seat, just in case he fell. "You guys understand Wutanian?" He asked.

Sephiroth shrugged, "I fought in the war." He pointed out, "The higher ups thought that it would be beneficial for me to understand what was being said."

Zack turned to Cloud, who had finished laughing and was now taking a sip from his ridiculously bright cocktail. "I travelled the world with Yuffie." He said, and when neither men seemed to understand who that was, he explained, "Godo's daughter."

Zack still didn't seem to understand, but Sephiroth's eyebrows rose. "The princess of Wutai accompanied you on your journey?"

"Well... She mostly tried to steal our materia at first. But yeah, she ended up being really useful." Cloud was keeping his voice down, but he doubted that anybody could hear them over the general din of the place – and the next drunk person trying to sing.

"How old was she?" Zack asked, frown on his face. He looked like he was trying to think, but was having no luck.

"Sixteen when we set off. Twenty-Three when I left. She took over after her dad got sick, so we didn't see much of her over the last few years." And hadn't that been a shock. Suddenly someone from his makeshift family had been an _empress_ of a quickly blossoming country. "Wutai bounced back pretty quickly after Meteorfall. They'd been the last to gain mako energy, so they knew the best alternatives." They'd actually been an invaluable resource to the WRO.

"Did she..." Zack was slurring his words but still managing full sentences. More or less. "Did she used to call herself 'Treasure Princess'?" He asked.

"Probably." Cloud shrugged, he didn't really know much about Yuffie's past. She didn't seem to want to share it, so nobody had pushed.

"Huh..." Zack fell silent and shook his head. "Anyway, your turn!" He tried to pull Cloud out of his chair, pointing at the karaoke machine.

"Not a chance." Cloud chuckled, "But we should probably get you to bed."

"Aww but Cloud, you know I have a girlfriend." Zack mocked. Cloud shook his head and somehow managed to walk Zack out of the bar, Sephiroth following close behind.

– – – – – – – –

"I don't understand why somebody would imbibe enough to lose fine motor skills." Sephiroth said to Cloud after they'd dropped Zack at his quarters. The SOLDIER had had trouble unlocking his door until Cloud had taken over.

"Sometimes it's nice to let go." Cloud told him, remembering that Sephiroth had never been drunk, "It's a euphoric feeling, liberating." He shrugged. "Trust me, Zack's not a bad drunk. I've seen a lot worse."

"You mentioned you lived in a bar."

"Above it, actually. But yeah. After Meteorfall a town called Edge was built outside the ruins of Midgar. Tifa started a bar there and..." He shrugged, "After the end of the world, a lot of people want to get drunk. I had nowhere else to go, so I stayed with her."

"Tifa is the one who survived Nibelheim?"

It was then that Cloud realised that he really hadn't told his friends a lot about his past. Sure, he'd told them the major points – Nibelheim, Meteorfall – but he hadn't told them the small things. The things that he'd taken for granted and now missed desperately. He nodded.

"Yeah. I grew up with her, and when I made it back to Midgar five years after Nibelheim, she took me in. Introduced me to Barret and she got me to join them." He smiled wistfully, "It was only supposed to be one mission. Then we ended up saving the world."

"You don't talk about them much." They found a nice spot to sit, looking out over the ocean. They were perched on the edge of one of the levels. It would have been a dangerous position for most people, but the SOLDIER's reflexes and sense of balance were enough to keep them from falling, and even if they did fall, they probably wouldn't have been too hurt.

"It's... hard." Cloud admitted, looking up. Unlike in Midgar, the stars were visible and he'd always liked looking at the stars. "I can't ever go back." He continued, "I'll never see them again, even when I return to the planet. My whole family..." He shook his head, "But at least I have Zeke." He told him, "If I didn't have Zeke, I'd find a way back. Planet be damned."

"Perhaps that is why he was sent here." Sephiroth mused out loud. "You worry for my sanity, but you could be just as deadly if you lose yours."

Cloud had thought about that, a few times actually. He'd wondered what he would do if he went completely insane, if he allowed Jenova to manipulate him, or even just to take over him. He nodded in agreement. Unlike Sephiroth, he already knew where to get Black Materia. He would be able to get Holy from Aerith before using it. He would be able to succeed where the Sephiroth from his time failed.

But somehow, Cloud knew that wouldn't happen. He shook his head, "No." He told him, "I've lost my mind. A few times." He admitted, "And all I did was shut down or believe I was someone else for a while."

They were silent, both thinking on what Cloud had just said. After a moment, Cloud sighed and stood. "I want to see the stars. Properly." He told Sephiroth, offering the man a hand up.

– – – – – – – – –

You didn't have to go far outside of Junon to see the stars. As long as you looked in another direction, the light from the city didn't do much to dampen them. So Cloud lead them to a small cove that hid most of the light pollution and lay down on the sand, looking at the sky. The sound of the sea was close by and it relaxed him. As long as he wasn't _on_ the sea, Cloud quite liked the sounds.

After a while of silence, Cloud let out a laugh. Sephiroth looked at him with curiosity. "I'm just thinking that I'm glad my fan club aren't going to see this." He told his friend. "Laying on the beach at night, watching the stars..." He shook his head. "They would read too much into this."

Sephiroth was quiet for a moment before he let out a soft sigh. "I will admit," He said quietly, "That there are times that I must remind myself not to do the same."

"Hmm?"

"A sunset walk along the edge of the plate. Bringing food to my office when you decide I have neglected to eat enough. A moonlit walk along the edge of the plate. Dragging me to dinner in restaurants. And now, stargazing on the beach in a private cove..." His eyes were trained on the sky, but Cloud could still see the soft look of longing on his face. "Then there's the touching." He continued, "You will put your hand on my shoulder, or lean over me casually. That isn't something I'm used to..." The younger man sighed. "Your words have made your intentions clear but they haven't heard your words. I would have come to the same conclusion."

Cloud found himself moving into a leaning position, looking down at Sephiroth. The man was right. And for the first time, Cloud truly realised how much his actions had effected the Silver General. Right now, staring at the sky, he looked so sad, so lonely. Cloud didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry." He said, unable to find any other words that fit.

Sephiroth shook his head, "I... don't want you to stop..." He admitted, "I may not have your interest, but spending this time with you..." He shook his head and didn't continue. Cloud wasn't sure if it was because he didn't have the words, or because he just didn't want to say them.

– – – – – – – – – –


	25. His Last Breath

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 25 – His Last Breath –

"I don't understand. Why are we here?"

Cloud sighed and looked up at Sephiroth. "Because we have downtime. And I _like_ Chocobo races." He explained to the man, "We needed to get out of the city, we invited you, and you came. If you don't want to be here, you can go home."

He wasn't in the best of moods. They had had too much downtime lately. Not from SOLDIER missions, they were still available with some regularity, but with their _own_ mission. Aerith still hadn't figured out what they were supposed to do, and Cloud was starting to feel a little guilty about leaving it all to her.

So when he'd heard that someone was hosting Chocobo races in Kalm, he'd suggested that they go. Zeke had been excited, he loved chocobos, and Zack had thought it would be a lot of fun. He'd brought Aerith and Sephiroth had decided to come along. Though the man seemed to be thoroughly confused as to why he did.

"It's not.. a _useful_ pass time..." The silver haired man continued, still looking incredibly puzzled.

"No. But it's _fun_." Cloud countered.

Sephiroth just looked at him and shrugged. Apparently it wasn't so fun for him.

"Dad!" Zeke came snaking his way through the crowd, a huge grin on his face. "They're short a jockey! Someone got sick." He was bouncing on his feet and Cloud chuckled.

"You want to ride?" He asked and was surprised when Zeke shook his head, his grin fading slightly,

"No. I'm too short for the saddle and they won't let me bareback." He huffed before his grin came back, "But you're the right height!"

"Me?" How long had it been since he'd last been in a real race? Ten years? Almost. Well... he was here for fun, wasn't he? With a shrug, he matched Zeke's grin. "Sure. Why not?"

He turned to Sephiroth and gave him a small wave before following his son back through the crowd.

– – – – – – –

The race had been exhilarating. He hadn't realised just how much he'd missed running a chocobo bread for racing. He wasn't the chocobo's usual rider, and it showed, but he'd had enough experience with wild chocobos to have easy control. He wasn't surprised that he didn't win the race, especially when he saw who was riding the blue chocobo. Joe was definitely younger, and he didn't seem to have Teioh yet, but he was still one hell of a rider.

No, he hadn't won. But he'd come a close second. Gaia how he'd missed it.

He couldn't help the giant grin on his face as he dismounted the chocobo. He gave her a bit of a pat down before handing her off to the stable boy and retrieving his sword from Zeke. Behind his son, Zack and Aerith had massive grins on their faces.

"Woah! When did you learn how to ride so fast!?" Zack asked, bouncing on his heels.

Cloud shrugged, "Just before Meteorfall." He told him, "We'd been sent to a prison and the only way to get out was to win a chocobo race. I liked it so I went back a few times."

"You did seem to enjoy yourself." Sephiroth had joined them. He had a small smile on his face as he handed Cloud a bottle of water. The blond thanked him and drank the whole bottle.

"Yeah. Didn't realise how much I'd missed it." He told his friends, "After this is all over, I might just come back and race some more."

– – – – – – – – –

They finally had their answer. Lucrecia's words had been cryptic, but accurate. All that was needed for the crystal stasis was raw mako and a will to imprison. According to Aerith all they needed to do was make sure that Jenova wanted to live and wasn't secretly suicidal and have their desire for her to be imprisoned to be stronger. Cloud was quite certain that she wanted to live.

So with that in mind, they'd come up with a plan. They would go to Nibelheim and flood Jenova's chamber with mako from one of the tanks in the reactor and Aerith would pour her will into the mako. Cloud had no idea what that actually meant, but the woman was confident that she could manage it.

Once Jenova was in stasis, they would take her to Rocket Town and load her on to the ship. Cloud still had no idea how they were going to convince Cid to give it up, but he was sure they could think of something. He really didn't want to have to hold the man at sword point, but if that was what it took to save the world, then he would do it.

The other option, of course, had been to let Cid pilot the ship and take the escape pod back to the ground. The only problem with that was that as far as Cloud was aware, the environmental systems of the rocket hadn't actually been fully installed, which meant that Cid would die before being able to make it to the escape pod.

It didn't really matter how, all that mattered was that they had to launch the ship into space with Jenova on board.

Most of it went to plan. Most of it.

– – – – – – – –

The minute they arrived in Nibelheim, three of their party all but doubled over in pain. Jenova's soft words of 'encouragement' had become harsh screams, reaching out to nothing hearing them. It was almost deafening and Cloud felt like his head was being split open. Beside him, he could hear Sephiroth and Zeke moaning in pain. It only took a few moments for him to adapt and the screaming to die down enough for Cloud to regain his senses, but it felt like an eternity. He slowly built up mental barriers and managed to tune enough of it out that he could function. He'd been through this before, he'd known what to expect. The other two weren't so prepared.

"Fight it." He demanded of the other two, voice harsh and broken, "Fight it." He urged, "Block it out."

After another few minutes, Sephiroth managed to do so, his face pale and wet with sweat and his breath coming rapidly, but his eyes were clear. Zeke, however, wasn't as strong. The boy was curled in a ball on the floor, clutching at his head. "Zeke, buddy," Cloud tried talking to him in a comforting voice. "You can do this. Block her out. Listen to me, hear my voice. Just mine." It wasn't helping. It wasn't working and panic flooded Cloud. His little boy was in so much pain and there was nothing he could do about it.

After a moment, Zeke went still, his pained cries silenced and Cloud suddenly feared the worst. He felt on the boys neck, panic building further until he felt a strong pulse. He was alive. He was breathing normally. Relief flowed through Cloud and he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"I'm sorry." Aerith said in a shaking voice. She was stood beside him, materia in her hand. "I... He was screaming..." Her hands were trembling and Cloud realised that she'd cast sleep on him. He nodded and picked the boy up, holding him close. It was probably better this way. He wouldn't have to deal with what was to come.

He gently placed the sleeping child in the helicopter and turned to the pilot. "If he wakes up still in pain cast sleep on him." The pilot was confused and worried, but he nodded, accepting the order. Aerith handed him the materia and they stepped away.

– – – – – – – – –

The closer they got to the reactor, the harder it was to block Jenova out. Proximity made her stronger and the constant struggle and difficult hike were starting to exhaust Cloud. Beside him, Sephiroth wasn't doing much better. But they were almost there. Zack had gone up ahead to clear the path, and Aerith had stayed with Cloud and Sephiroth, attempting a verity of healing spells to help them. None had really had an effect, the pain just kept building.

They reached the top of the mountain. And the reactor. The door was locked, but Sephiroth's code worked and they made their way into Jenova's chamber.

Sephiroth had spent enough time in the labs to know how most of the equipment worked, so he was in charge of setting it up so they could flood the chamber. Zack was standing guard and Aerith was ready to heal anyone that needed it. Cloud wasn't entirely sure what his role was supposed to be, he wasn't really up for much of a fight, so he stood and watched over Sephiroth.

The man was bending over a panel when Cloud saw what was coming. A crack had been formed in the glass of the containment unit, growing larger and larger until at last it had been big enough for something to slither through. Before his eyes the writhing mass of flesh eased its way through the crack and begin to solidify into a tentacle. He knew what was about to happen and he was moving before he even realised it. He cried out a warning as his body collided with Sephiroth's, pushing it out of the way of Jenova's appendage.

But he'd been too slow. He'd been too slow and he'd left his shoulder open.

– – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth let out a grunt as he was forcibly pushed from behind. He was already in a bad mood, and turned to glare at whoever had decided to run into him. He'd expected that Zack had tripped and landed on him or something equally stupid.

What he saw when he turned around was nothing like anything he'd ever imagined.

Coming from a small crack in the containment unit was a long, purple tentacle writhing around in the air. It would have captured all of Sephiroth's attention, if it wasn't for what he saw next. Near the bottom of the tentacle, was Cloud, upright only because the appendage was still running through his upper chest. Cloud had a look of shock on his face as his hands slowly came up to touch the purple monstrosity that was protruding from him.

The world faded. Sephiroth's eyes focused on Cloud and Cloud alone. He didn't see Zack rushing at the creature, didn't see Aerith's frantic attempts to keep Cloud stable. All he saw was his friend struggling to breathe around the foreign object he'd been impaled with.

The tentacle was cut and Cloud slumped down, unable to remain upright without assistance. Within a second, Sephiroth was there, holding him up. The tentacle inside him was slowly disappearing but Sephiroth paid it no mind.

"Cloud..?" His voice trembled and broke, his arms were shaking.

Cloud offered Sephiroth a small smile, his hand reaching up to cup his face. "'s... oka..y..." The blonde man tried to form words but was having an obvious difficulty.

"Cloud!" Zack was beside them now, Aerith on the other side of Cloud, hands glowing. Tears were running down her face. Sephiroth couldn't look at her.

Cloud's hand dropped and his eyes lost their mako glow.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth was lost for words as he held the man that had come to mean so much to him.

"Sephiroth..." Aerith spoke quietly, her voice hitching with emotion, "Talk to him..." She said, " Tell him..." But he wasn't listening. His world was silent, everything but Cloud forgotten.

Zack was no longer by his side and Aerith stood and left. Sephiroth didn't know where she was going. He didn't care. Nothing registered with him except for the small body in his arms. "Cloud..." He tried to form words, to do as Aerith told him, but he found he couldn't. Dimly he realised that he was in shock, but that thought didn't mean anything to him right now.

Instead of the words that Aerith had asked of him, he found himself holding Cloud tighter, bringing the limp body to his chest and holding on as tightly as he could. It was only after a moment did Sephiroth realise that something was happening. Cloud was glowing, a pale green coming from his body as it slowly started to disintegrate. Was this what people meant when they said returning to the planet?

Sephiroth had seen a lot of death, he'd even seen some bodies do what Cloud's was currently doing. He'd been told that it was decomposition, that the body was breaking down to allow smaller organisms to feed off of it. But now... now he didn't believe it. Hojo's words seemed to ring hollowly in his memories. But Cloud and Aerith, they'd said that when somebody dies, they return to the planet to be born anew. To come back as somebody else. Sephiroth had never before felt the need for a religion, but now... now he could understand why people would want to believe. They would find their loved ones again in the Promised Land where death didn't exist. He would see Cloud again, when his own time came. He started to want to believe that.

He sat there, numbly staring at Cloud until his body was gone and all that was left of him was his sword. With shaking hands, Sephiroth took the hilt and lifted his face.

While he'd been distracted, the other two had somehow managed to encase Jenova in crystal. He could barely hear her influence now. He found he didn't care. Without a word, he stood, taking Cloud's sword with him and left.

– – – – – – – – –

Zack was getting worried. Sephiroth hadn't said anything since... Since Cloud had died. He'd been completely silent upon returning to the town. He hadn't said a word as he solemnly handed Cloud's sword to Zeke. All he'd done was sit beside the boy and hold him while he cried.

Zack's heart was breaking. Not only had he just lost his friend, his best friend, but his other friend looked so alone, so lost. He could only imagine what Sephiroth was going through. Cloud had pushed him out of the way. If he hadn't have done that, Sephiroth would have been the one to die. It was all so sudden, so unexpected.

He took a blanket and draped it around Sephiroth and Zeke, moving to take a coffee pouch from their field rations. He heated it and wordlessly handed a cup to each of them. Zeke may have been a kid, but he was enhanced. Zack was pretty sure that coffee would do more good than harm right now. His training had told him that people in shock need to be kept warm and drink something warm and sweet. He couldn't do much for them, but that... that he could do.

He turned to Aerith, the woman was speaking to the pilot and gesturing towards the mountain. The second part of their plan was ready to go. All they had to do was get Jenova loaded onto the winch of the helicopter and fly her to Rocket Town.

After a moment, he looked back at Zeke and Sephiroth and joined Aerith. Their mission had to be finished. It had to work. Otherwise... It was for nothing.

– – – – – – –

"How... did you convince Cid to give up the rocket?" It had been three days since Cloud's death and this was the first time that Sephiroth had spoken. He'd spent the last three days in a daze, barely moving. Zack had been doing his best to take care of both him and Zeke, but they hadn't made it easy. Neither of them were willing to eat, and neither of them were willing to talk. It had taken him five hours to convince Zeke to shower and he hadn't even bothered to try with Sephiroth.

They had left the two Sephiroths in the helicopter while Aerith and Zack completed their mission. They were both hurting, but they knew what needed to be done, there would be time to mourn afterwards. Zack had to be strong. For his friends. For their mission. For Aerith who was somehow managing to hold on, her strength shining brightly in their darkest day.

"Told him that if he didn't help us, I'd send you after him." Zack said quietly, "I told him what happened and... I think he has a pretty decent self preservation instinct. He told us how to remotely launch and..." And that part of the plan had gone off effortlessly. Jenova was in space, heading away from their planet. He only hoped that the rest of her people went along with her.

"There's... there's going to be a memorial..." Zack added quietly, almost as if he was afraid to raise his voice to a normal level. "I think.. you and Zeke should be there..."

– – – – – – – –

The memorial was beautiful. Zack wondered if Cloud knew just how many people had respected and idolised him. He hadn't really interacted with many people outside their little group, but there were SOLDIERs of all ranks there. All of them had been helped one way or another by the older man. Aerith had provided the flowers, and had insisted that the memorial be held at the church.

Zack thought that Cloud would have appreciated that. The place held a special place in his heart, and it seemed fitting that he be remembered there.

Zeke had finally allowed himself to cry. He hadn't done that since Sephiroth had given him Cloud's sword. He was shaking, trying to hold the sobs back, right up until Aerith pulled him into her arms. Once he was in her loving embrace, he let go. The sounds of his pain filled the small church and Zack felt his heart break all over again. He watched as Sephiroth reached out, placing a gentle hand on the boy's back. He was offering the comfort that he could. It probably comforted him also.

When it came to people speaking, there were only a few. Most people hadn't thought that they had a right. Aerith was first. She gently handed Zeke over to Sephiroth who took the boy without complaint, holding him close to his own chest.

"May your return to the planet be filled with love. May the planet receive you with open arms and guide you forward into bliss everlasting. May the waters of life comfort you and hold you until you can be joined by those who love you. Rest well my friend, and we will see you again in the Promised Land." Aerith spoke quietly, softly, hands clasped together in front of her heart, as she said her prayer. Her head was bowed and she was looking down at the flowers. "The first time I ever met him, he bought a flower from me, and from that day on, he never treated me with anything but kindness and love. He gave his life to save someone he loved so completely that he.." Her breath hitched, "That he died with a smile. Because-"

Zack stepped forward, an arm going around her shoulder as she was overcome with emotion. Until now, she kept herself strong but now she wept into his shoulder, her body shaking as her tears fell.

"He died a hero." Zack said quietly, "He gave his life to save another without hesitation or regret."

At this point, he became aware that Sephiroth had stood, still holding Zack. He left quickly and Zack wanted to reach out to him, but Aerith needed him too, and finally, he finally let his own tears fall.

– – – – – – – –


	26. His Last Mission

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 26 – His Last Mission

There was something important. Something he was supposed to do. Something he was supposed to think. But how could anything be important? Nothing really mattered here. Everything was so tranquil. There was no pain. No fear. Nothing bad ever happened here. There was only warmth. Peace. Safety. Love.

Love.

That was part of it. Wasn't it? Love. He was supposed to love someone. Wasn't he? He was supposed to use that. But how? His thoughts were fleeting, hard to grasp. But it didn't matter. He was adrift in a sea of serenity, warm and content.

But there was something missing. He was alone. All alone. Was he alone before? No. Who was he with? Someone important? Someone important.

Silver hair? Brown eyes? Green? Both?

Fractured memories came to him, one at a time. Small things. The sunset on the plate. A stuffed chocobo. The giggles of an toddler. _Song_.

Who was singing?

A voice. He could hear a voice. Snippets of words that didn't make sense. Just sounds. But the voice... The voice. Was that important?

It sang to him, lulling him. But that wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to sleep yet, was he? There was... it was important... It had been his last thought.

His last? Wasn't he thinking now? But did this count? Was he dead?

Yes. He remembered. The face above him, the arms around him. He was important. Both were. Both the silver haired, green eyed people. One small, one tall.

More memories came to him. _Joy_. Meeting a lost friend in the church. Holding a young man to his chest. Lunch with two people. One with dark hair, one with hidden hair. _Love_. A small face looking up at him, a wide smile. A boy screaming in joy as the chocobo moved below them. A tender smile under the stars. An arm slung over his shoulder. Coffee. _Family_.

He had a family. It wasn't traditional but it was his.

Was he supposed to find them here? They should be here. He'd lost them, hadn't he?

Their names came to him. He tried to find them.

Tifa.

Vincent.

Barret.

Yuffie.

Cid.

Reeve.

Nanaki.

Aerith.

Zack.

More emotions. _Sorrow. Fear. Pain. Despair._ Those people. They were gone. They weren't here. They weren't anywhere. There was nobody waiting for him. Not here.

Not here.

Out there? Who was waiting? The silver haired men?

 _Zeke_. Zeke. Zack. His son? His little boy. _Lost. Alone_. No. Not alone. _Zack_. Zack would take care of his son. Zack would protect him. Love him. Raise him. Teach him. Zeke would be safe with Zack. With Zack and Sephiroth.

 _Sephiroth._ That was the other silver haired man. Wasn't it?

Zeke and Sephiroth. They were important. They would bring him home.

 _Home_.

Where was home? The bar with the dark haired woman? The apartment with the man and the child? The church in the slums? Was he supposed to go back there? But how?

Again, the faces came to him, to his mind. Clearer than before. He remembered the last thing he saw. Fear. Pain. Sorrow. Heartbreak. Green eyes wide and afraid. Silver hair falling over them. His name repeated desperately on those lips.

Such pain. Had he caused that? Had he made that beautiful face show such sorrow?

" _They have to want to come back so completely that it all but consumes them."_

There was that voice again. Speaking to him. Had she always spoken to him? No. That was a memory. An important one. Why was it so important.

" _If their will to return is strong enough."_ Again. Those words. They were important. But he didn't know why.

" _His soul called to yours."_

" _Found you. Used you as an anchor."_

Was she telling him how to go home? He didn't understand. Did he want to go home? To leave this place of tranquillity?

" _Use the connection to find each other, protect each other."_

He was supposed to protect someone. Did it matter if he wanted to stay? There was somebody that needed him. That he was supposed to protect. Was it the boy? The man? Both?

Both.

They both needed him.

Memories came to him. Flooding him. Battering his mind. It was overwhelming. All at once. He remembered. Remembered everything. Who he was. Why he needed to go home. The voices came, all at once, crashing over each other as they fell through his mind.

" _You. Are. Awesome!" "Good. I enjoy a challenge." "One day, you will tell me your story." "You sat in a mako pool!?" "It is fortunate, that we have been given orders to shadow you." "Unfortunate for you, your friends care for you." "So I think Sephiroth really does want to be your friend." "You seem to have awakened my sexuality." "Midgar full of flowers, pocket full of money! Everybody wins!" "Are you a time traveller?" "WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME?" "She can't hear you." "Hi dad." "If it comes down to it... I'll back you up... Okay?" "Are you safe from Hojo?" "Didn't I already tell you you were forgiven?" "Soul mates." "Shinra was experimenting on_ children _!?" "We came to look for you, silly." "Dad!" "You're worried that you'll always see me as a monster?" "Tell me again, that you're not dating Sephiroth." "That was Rufus's dad? He's not very pretty." "So what's it like to be a hero?" "Technically you did kidnap me." "That's it. No more shopping!"_

" _Why did you stay?"_

He had lied. He stayed for them. For Zack. For Sephiroth. For Zeke.

 _Nexis_.

That word meant something important. Something he could use. He could go home.

He could go home.

– – – – – – – – –

In the months following Cloud's death, Sephiroth had slowly recovered. At first, he'd simply refused to leave Cloud's apartment, choosing instead to spend his time silently sitting beside Zeke, mindlessly watching whatever the boy had put on the television. Eventually, he started to reply to Zack when he spoke, and even began to eat again.

Zeke wasn't much better. He would curl up on the couch beside Sephiroth, clutching his stuffed chocobo to his chest. They both looked numb and Zack's heart broke for them every day.

It had taken four months for either of them to be anywhere near the people they'd been before. Sephiroth was finally feeling ready to move back into his own apartment, but had assured Zack that he and Zeke could stay where they were.

The issue of Zeke's future had been settled easily. Sephiroth had insisted that he was now the boys legal guardian, but he was happy for Zack to help out with whatever was needed. They had essentially decided that they would both do everything they could to take care of the child.

After six months, Zack saw a noticeable improvement in the pair. They could now have conversations about Cloud without them clamming up or leaving, and Zack found himself relieved that they were finally healing. They even threw a birthday party for Zeke. They all wished Cloud could be there, but for the first time, that thought didn't dampen their spirits.

– – – – – – – –

They had a new routine now. When not on missions, Sephiroth would take Zeke for a few hours in the morning, taking him through training drills. In the afternoons, Zack had arranged for a tutor to teach Zeke in a verity of subjects. The boy hadn't been very happy with suddenly having lessons and homework, but Zack had insisted. Zeke was still a child, after all. To no-ones surprise, he excelled in anything he put his mind to and quickly began to study the harder subjects that made Zack's head spin. Sephiroth seemed to understand them though, and he helped the boy with the harder parts, seeming to relax into it.

It was all very domestic.

One day, Zack headed to the training room to collect Zeke for his lessons and decided to watch the end of their training. That was the first time he saw the boy using Cloud's sword. He was experimenting with the multiple blades and learning new techniques. Sephiroth was apparently a patient teacher and Zack wondered why he'd never taken on a Third.

"Hey Zack." Zeke greeted him without turning around. That was another thing that Sephiroth was apparently teaching the boy – how to use his senses for maximum effect – and he'd started to recognise people before seeing them. Zack wasn't sure how.

"I learned a new trick!" The boy told him excitedly. "Watch!" With a flurry of movement he released several of the smaller blades and threw them with scary accuracy. It reminded him of something Cloud had once told him.

"Let me guess, you've been learning how to throw knives since you were three months old?" He asked, a sad smile on his face.

Zeke gave him a confused look and shook his head, "Since I was three..." He told him. "But Da..." He faltered a moment before smiling again, "Da said that Yuffie kept trying to give me weapons before I could even walk."

It was then that Zack realised just how much the boy had lost. Cloud had been the only person from his timeline – not counting Aerith who had been dead before Zeke was born – and now he had practically no link left to his family.

"Hey Zeke..." Zack said, sadness seeping into his voice, "Can I get a hug?"

It was now a small ritual for them. Zack had started asking for hugs a few weeks after Cloud left, and the boy always obliged. Sometimes he asked for himself, but most of the time, he asked because he knew that Zeke wouldn't.

"Sure." The boy put his sword back on the magnet on his back and came over, wrapping his arms around his friend and holding him close. Neither of them complained if their hugs were a little too tight, or if they lasted a little too long. Both of them needed them.

– – – – – – – –

"I'm going to finish Cloud's mission." The words came out of nowhere. Sephiroth was sitting on his couch again, Zeke curled up next to him. Zack wasn't sure if the words were meant for him or not, but he joined them in the lounge anyway.

"We took care of Jenova." Zack reminded him, "And we can't know if the others will follow her until they either do or don't."

Sephiroth nodded, "I'm speaking of his other mission." His voice was quiet, low. This was obviously something that Sephiroth had been thinking about for a while. "I'm going to bring down Shinra."

Well that was unexpected. Zack frowned slightly and moved to sit on the arm of the couch, regarding Sephiroth. "Are you sure?" He asked. Shinra had raised him. Given him almost everything he had. If Sephiroth defected, he would have nothing.

Except them. There was no question about it, Zack would follow Sephiroth if he left, and so would Zeke. As much as Zack would argue against it, he knew for certain that Aerith would also be on-board.

Sephiroth nodded. "Mako energy is taking life from the planet." He paused for a moment, "If we don't stop it... Then the planet will die. And the lifestream..." He shook his head, a dark, determined look on his face. "The only way I will see Cloud again is in the lifestream. I want to make sure it's there when I-"

"Seph..." Zack's hand was suddenly on the man's shoulder and Sephiroth leaned into it a little. The look of loss on the man's face gave Zack the determination he needed. "Right. First, we'll need a plan. I don't think Cloud's was working."

"Did he tell you what it was?"

Zack shook his head and gave a small smile at the memory of a grumpy newly minted First Class Cloud. "Nope. But apparently he spent a few years blowing up reactors... He told me Shinra fell when a Meteor fell on it."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

– – – – – – – –

Their plan was simple. It would take a long time and a lot of work, but it was doable. First, they had to slowly recruit people they trusted. The more people they could get on their side the better. They started with Kunsel, testing the waters before finally managing to recruit him. It took them months, but eventually the man had joined them.

– – – – – – – –

Things were coming along with the resistance. Each member had one contact person. They didn't know who else was involved unless they had recruited them. There were only three people who knew how high up it went. The only way they would be found out is if Kunsel betrayed them, and Zack trusted Kunsel.

Even Aerith had recruited. People below the plate were more than happy with the idea of Shinra falling. They had more reason than most to want to bring them down. Long ago, before Shinra, the slums had been a town of prosperity. Now, they were poverty stricken, sick, dying, starving. They were the forgotten.

Cloud had been dead for ten months, but his legacy was just beginning. They would bring Shinra down, and they would do it for him. For his son. They had given the movement a name. STRIFE.

But it was still a secret. Anybody in the room could be a member, but nobody would know it, not even Zack and Sephiroth. Nobody talked about it, nobody wanted the higher ups to hear about it. For most people, they assumed the remaining Firsts to be the higher ups.

Gathering members wasn't all they were doing. They'd managed to get their hands on the blueprints for the Shinra building, for the reactors. They'd pulled together shipping manifests and timetables. They'd recruited train drivers and delivery people. They were slowly infiltrating every corner of Shinra. And their plan to take it down, it involved no bloodshed.

If all went well, nobody would die.

– – – – – – –

There were still days when it hurt. His heart felt like it was wounded, raw, bleeding. The pain would hit him when he was alone, with nobody to turn to. He would lay in bed staring at the small picture on his night stand. Cloud looked back at him, a grumpy expression on his face as Zack had put his arms around his shoulders again. Zack was laughing and Sephiroth had his face in his palm. It was the only photo they had of all three of them. One of the only photographs he had of Cloud.

Sephiroth felt tears gathering in his eyes as he reached out, a finger gently stroking that grumpy face. "I love you." He would only let himself say those words when alone, and only in a tiny, whispered voice. He had never said them to another person. Not ever. And now the one person he wanted so desperately to say them to couldn't hear him.

He closed his eyes, turned over and tried to sleep.

– – – – – – –

They gathered in the church. Aerith had been delighted to have their company and had been generous with her smiles. Zack and Zeke had taken turns to throw their arms around her. Sephiroth felt a little like an outsider until Aerith had marched up to him and pulled him into a firm embrace. When she pulled back, she took his hand and dragged him over to join the others.

Was this what it was like to have a family?

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aerith asked Zeke. The boy nodded and stepped around the flowerbed. He stopped on the other side of the flowers, standing on the raised platform. With one decisive move, he drew Cloud's sword and pierced the ground. He stepped back and the sword stood in place.

"What made you think to leave it here?" Sephiroth asked quietly.

"This is where we put Zack's sword." Zeke replied, still looking at his father's sword. "After Advent Day, dad brought it here. He said it was because this place was connected to two people he loved, and who loved each other." His steps were slow as he walked away, slow but steady. He rejoined his friends.

"This place was important to him." Zack said, looking at the lopsided blade. "I think... it's right." He nodded, "Yeah. This is where it should be."

– – – – – – – –

Jenova's people were still coming. Their lure hadn't worked. They were on their way. Already, they were beginning to appear in the night sky, looking like larger, brighter stars. They had no plan. It had been so long since they'd sent Jenova into space, they'd thought it was over.

"We need a plan." Zack was stating the obvious again, but Sephiroth wasn't going to argue with him.

"What about Holy?" Zeke turned to Aerith. She shook her head, a sad look on her face.

"Holy is a last resort." She said softly, "It... It consumes the soul of the caster. If the spell is completed..." She shook her head again, "Whoever summoned it can never return to the planet."

"Dead beyond dead?"

Sephiroth was still trying to wrap his head around the lifestream. He understood the basics, and had even begun to hear a faint sound, almost like singing. Since Jenova had been sent away, the sound had been getting louder – but only when he was in the church – it was oddly soothing. Aerith had told him that that was the planet. The voices of those that had passed.

He could never pick out just one voice. But he had tried.

But the idea that somebody could die and not return to the planet had never crossed his mind. Would that mean that they were just ...gone? That they could never be reunited with their loved ones, or be born anew?

"But..." Zeke had a confused look on his face as he regarded Aerith. "You used Holy..."

Aerith shook her head, "No. I _started_ to summon Holy." She corrected him, her eyes glancing at Sephiroth for a second. "I was interrupted before I could finish it..."

"And that saved you from... being absorbed?" Zeke asked and Aerith nodded, "But anybody who finishes the spell, will... their soul will..."

"Be consumed." She confirmed.

"That sounds... horrible." Sephiroth's voice was quiet, appalled. It _did_ sound horrible. Not for the person who died. No. They wouldn't know any better, they wouldn't feel any more. No. It was the people they left behind that would suffer. The people that would never again see them. Hear them.

No. That wasn't a nice thought. The only thing keeping Sephiroth going had been the thought of seeing Cloud again in the afterlife.

"So we need another plan then." Zack was speaking again, and Sephiroth forced himself to listen.

"How long do we have?" Zeke was still asking the right questions. The boy always had.

"Months." Aerith's reply sent the room into silence. They didn't have long. They needed to think of something, and fast.

– – – – – – –


	27. Their Victory

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 27 – Their Victory

It was one year to the day since Cloud's death when Sephiroth marched up to floor 70 of the Shinra Tower. He threw the doors open and stomped up to the desk. In a flash, his sword was drawn and it's tip pressed lightly against President Shinra's neck.

The portly man's eyes grew wide and he began to shake, slowly backing up from his desk. "T-To what do I owe this pleasure, Sephiroth..." Shinra's eyes were darting from one side to the other as if expecting rescue.

His rescue should have come. Would have come if Sephiroth hadn't been prepared. The Turks were contained, he'd made sure of that. Shinra was alone.

Sephiroth smirked, "I believe they call this a... 'hostile takeover'."

"A... hostile..." Sweat began to bead on Shinra's face and he went fail. "You want the company?"

"Yes."

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of – eugh!" Sephiroth moved his sword a fraction of an inch, nicking the president's flesh before backing up and returning the sword to its resting place against the man's skin.

"No."

"You want the company...?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and sighed, "Yes. And I'm taking it. Stop stalling. The Turk's aren't coming." He threw some papers on the table, watching as Shinra's eyes followed them. "Sign." Sephiroth ordered, pulling his sword back only enough to allow the man to bend over the desk.

Shinra followed the order, scribbling his signature on the bottom of the sheet without reading it. He stood up again, a stony look on his face. "And now what?" He asked.

Sephiroth didn't answer with words. He simply did what he was made to do with a single strike.

He regarded the slumped body in front of him for a moment before retrieving the pages and tucking them carefully into his pocket. He used the crimson fabric of the man's suit to wipe his blade clean, not wanting it to be sullied with the blood of the man that had sanctioned human experimentation. As he strode out of the room, he flipped open his PHS and dialled.

"It's done." He said simply before snapping the phone shut.

Below him, he knew what was happening. The members of their movement were gathering, restraining those that were loyal to Shinra and taking prisoners. Sephiroth had been clear; no unnecessary deaths. Only two were required. President Shinra and Hojo.

Originally, he had wanted to take Hojo, but Zack had made a good point. They needed it to be done quickly, cleanly and they needed it to be done at the same time as the President. If they took out one before the other, there would be time for the survivor to escape. Both were slimy and both were good at escaping. It had to be done right, and Sephiroth couldn't be in two places at once.

Zack had also pointed out that the President was a lot more afraid of Sephiroth than Zack, and a lot more likely to sign the paperwork for Sephiroth. So Sephiroth had taken the president while Zack took out Hojo.

Zeke had been left guarding the Turks. Of the three of them, he was most familiar with their tactics and would know their dirty tricks before they even tried. Sephiroth knew that Zeke had everything in hand.

Kunsel was dealing with the general infantry. Sephiroth had no idea how he was taking care of things, only that he was. Zack trusted Kunsel, and that was enough for Sephiroth.

Even further below them, Aerith had organised their members in the slums to hold up the trains and guarding the rail tunnels, just in case someone felt the need to flee. There were, of course, other ways to get off the plate. Anybody with sufficient enhancements could simply step off the edge and survive the fall.

But their plan was to get things done quickly enough that people didn't know what was happening before it was too late.

Shinra had been taken care of. A moment later, Sephiroth's PHS beeped with a message from Zack. Hojo had been taken care of, and his non sentient experiments destroyed as humanely as possible. Zack reported that it didn't seem that he had any human subjects here. That didn't mean he didn't have others elsewhere, however, and that was one of the tasks that Sephiroth was going to have to organise.

Sephiroth joined Zack in the elevator as they rode down together. "Man, this doesn't feel real." Zack commented, peering out of the glass walls. "He sign the papers?"

"Yes. The company is mine. His son may protest, but I'm sure we can handle him. The Turks could pose a problem."

"Yeah, but we have a few on our side."

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at this. He had made a point to know as few of their members as possible – if he knew about them, they could have known about him, and he had wanted to keep his involvement unknown.

Zack shrugged, "We have three on our side and another one that I think will join us now that Shinra's gone."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Sephiroth gave a nod and strode out. They were in the executive offices. As predicted, and hoped, none of them had any idea that anything out of the ordinary was happening. They'd find out soon enough, of course, but for now, their ignorance was a tool.

As one, they marched towards a specific door and let themselves in without knocking.

Reeve Tuesti looked up from his desk in surprise at being interrupted so rudely, his surprise increased when he saw who was standing there. "Hello... How can I help you?" He asked, looking from one to the other, then gesturing at the chairs opposite the desk. Sephiroth appreciated his professionalism. He stepped forward and handed him the papers that Shinra had signed. "I wish for you to run the company." He stated.

Reeve read the pages a few times before looking up at Sephiroth, confusion in his eyes. "You would like for _me_ to run it?" He asked, "Why me?"

"Because your top priority has always been the people." Cloud had told Zack about Reeve, who had in turn told Sephiroth. In Cloud's time, this had been the man to pull civilisation from the ashes of Meteorfall.

"My methods and priorities may not increase profits..." He warned.

Sephiroth shrugged, "I am not interested in profits." He told the man, "This company has run on greed for too long and the people are suffering." The _planet_ was suffering. "I wish for you to use the resources at the company's disposal to make things better for the people." He told him, "Especially those in the slums. Have whomever you wish help you. The military will be run by myself and Zack." He added, "The rest is yours to run."

Reeve was staring at him and Sephiroth hoped that he was simply processing what was happening.

"This," Sephiroth said, "Is not an order. I want you in charge, but if you do not want the position, I will find someone else." He told him, "You will not be penalised for saying no." He added this because of the way Shinra had run things. People were given the illusion of a choice when they had none. He would not allow that to happen again.

Slowly, Reeve nodded, looking down at the pages in his hand again. "Rufus can contest this..." He informed Sephiroth.

"He wont."

Reeve nodded again and handed the sheets back. "I'll draw up a contract." He said, "And we can use that as a basis of negotiations..."

"There is very little to negotiate." Sephiroth finally took the seat in front of Reeve. "Aside from the military, you will have control of the entirety of Shinra. As long as the people are taken care of, and the company retains enough income to continue to operate, you will have the job."

The first part of their mission was to take care of the people of Midgar and the slums. After that, to make reparations to Wutai. Once the people were taken care of, it was time to help the planet. When it came to that, Sephiroth would have to have another conversation with Reeve.

"The company will remain in my name," Sephiroth continued, it had to stay in his name, so that he could enact the final part of their plan – dismantle the company completely and use the money and resources to set up a government to be elected by the people. It was a grandiose plan, and there were a great many things that could go wrong. But the first part was on its way to fruition.

"Of course. However, I will still draw up a contract for us to agree upon before formally taking the position." Reeve told him.

"So you'll do it?" Zack spoke up from beside the door. Sephiroth had brought him along as a show of force, and as back up in case anybody they didn't want involved came inside.

"When do I start?"

"Now." Sephiroth stood. "Your first task will be to fire anybody that you think will be a problem with our new goal." He told him, "I would like a copy of your proposed contract tomorrow."

"Will you be taking the presidential office? Or shall I deliver to your current office?"

"The presidential office is yours." Sephiroth had no interest in that place. He didn't need to lord over the city, but Reeve would be watching over it. It seemed appropriate to him that Reeve be given this.

– – – – – – –

It had all gone to plan. And it had all happened surprisingly easily. Once the word had spread, Sephiroth was astounded by the number of supporters that he'd had. There had been a total of three SOLDIER members that hadn't initially been members of STRIFE, but once they had heard who was leading, they had declared their loyalty in moments. The infantry had been similar. Even a large number of Turks had been on their side once they realised that Sephiroth was now in charge.

The company belonged to Sephiroth.

"You gonna change the company name?" Zack asked him.

Somebody had organised a party in largest cafeteria of the building and Zack had insisted that Sephiroth be there as his first act as owner. Begrudgingly Sephiroth had agreed that it would help cement the changes that had taken place.

Sephiroth shook his head at Zack's question, choosing instead to stare out the window he was stood before. Zack turned his back to the outside and leaned against the glass, watching his friend instead of the scenery. The brightest stars in the sky were getting brighter, heading closer. Not many people had noticed yet, but their group had been on the lookout for them. Jenovians.

"No. Just the public image." Sephiroth replied eventually, sipping at the glass in his hand. "There have already been a great number of changes today. Adding a new one would simply cause more complications."

Zack nodded, eyes scanning the crowd. He had to do a double take as he saw something that couldn't exist. Leaning against a wall beside the entrance was a familiar face. An achingly familiar and impossible face crowned with blonde, spiky hair.

Over the last year, Zack had had a few mini heart attacks when dealing with the infantry. The younger version of Cloud was still around, and it had taken Zack months to get used to randomly seeing him around. It had felt like he was seeing a ghost. But this time... This time it was different.

Strapped to the man's back was a large, wide sword. His clothing was the familiar black get up, with the zip down the front and the butt cape to one side. A pink ribbon was wrapped tightly around his bicep. Blue eyes shone with a mako intensity.

"Holy shit..." Zack couldn't tear his eyes from the vision of the ghost, and wondered if he'd finally snapped and was hallucinating.

"Hmm?" Sephiroth frowned at Zack before turning around, curious as to what had his friend's attention so completely.

Zack could tell the moment that Sephiroth saw what he was seeing. The glass that had been in the SOLDIER's hand shattered on the floor and his friend went still. But Zack couldn't look away from the man across the room, almost afraid that if he did, the man would disappear.

– – – – – – – –

Sephiroth had been disturbed from his quiet contemplation by Zack's quiet outburst of profanity. Out of simple curiosity, and a small mount of worry for whatever had made Zack's voice sound like _that_ , Sephiroth turned to look at his friend.

Zack was staring across the room, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. With a frown, Sephiroth followed the man's gaze, wondering what could cause that sort of reaction from his friend.

And that was when he saw him. His world stopped, everything else fell away. His eyes locked with brilliant blue and he forgot how to breathe. His mind was screaming at him that this was impossible, that Cloud was dead. He'd been dead a year. Sephiroth was finally getting used to the idea that he would never see the man alive again, that he would have to wait until he rejoined the planet to see him.

Yet there he was, casually leaning against a wall as if he was a regular party goer. Just another one of the men. Sephiroth was vaguely aware of a smashing sound by his feet, but it didn't matter. Right now, nothing else mattered but the man across the room. The man who was coming over.

Completely without his permission, his legs moved. One hesitant step, then another because while his mind was screaming at him that this wasn't real, couldn't be real, his heart was soaring with joy. It felt almost as if he was being pulled towards the other man, a force that he couldn't resist. That he didn't want to resist.

They met in the middle of the room, the crowd parting for them. Once they stood together, Sephiroth forced himself to remember how to breathe, how to speak. "You-"

"It's me."

He sounded real. It was Cloud's voice, Cloud's small, reassuring smile. And it was Cloud's hand that took his and held it against his chest.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." His vision was speaking again, looking up at him with an expression of tenderness and apology. "I was lost and I had to find my way."

None of this made sense. Sephiroth's mind was spinning, his head and heart arguing about the man that stood before him.

"Sephiroth?"

How many times had he heard that voice say his name in that tone? The confused, concerned tone that had always brought him back when his thoughts had consumed him? How much had he longed to hear it again.

"How...?" But this wasn't Cloud. It couldn't be Cloud. How could it be? Sephiroth had held Cloud as he died, held his body until he'd returned to the planet.

The illusion smiled again, stepping closer, now fully within Sephiroth's personal space. He could feel the warmth of the man, feel the breath as it left him. Whoever this was, he was real. Alive. And Sephiroth felt the hope grow within him.

"That wasn't my first dip into the lifestream." the man told him quietly, "It just took me a little longer to get out this time. I'll explain everything later..."

"It's really...?" Sephiroth shook his head, "It's impossible... You're... You're dead."

"Not any more." The smile turned amused. "Your body and mind are fighting. You were always too smart for your own good, but this time, it's your soul that knows better." He shook his head lightly, "But... If you need proof..." He thought for a moment, "The first time you kissed me," He said slowly, quietly, "We were discussing your origin."

Sephiroth had never told anybody that. Cloud might have mentioned it to Zack, maybe, but Zack wouldn't use something like that for something like this. There was still the posiblity that this was a prank, a joke somebody was playing. There was an infantryman who looked exactly like Cloud. But... But you couldn't fake the mako eyes. The looks this man was giving him.

His mouth went dry, mind finally convinced that this could be real. He swallowed and opened his mouth.

"First?" He asked, "That was..."

"The only," Cloud nodded, "It's me, Sephiroth." His voice was even quieter now, almost a whisper, "I came home."

And Sephiroth cracked. He pulled his hand out of Cloud's so that he could pull the man into a bone crushing hug. He held him as close as he could, as tight as he could and didn't ever want to let go. This was Cloud. He was here. He was _alive_.

"Missed you too." Cloud's voice had a pained edge to it, and his arms wrapped around Sephiroth, "But maybe you could ease up just a little?"

It was then that Sephiroth realised just how tightly he was holding on and eased his grip just a little. He felt Cloud's arms around him, felt the warmth of him. He was real. Solid. Alive. Cloud.

"Cloud..." Had he ever held so much emotion in his voice? Had he ever _felt_ this much emotion, all at once? It was like his heart was breaking and being repaired simultaneously, his stomach was unsettled but in what felt like a good way, he couldn't think straight, he couldn't hold everything in. He could barely speak, "Welcome home."

– – – – – – – – –

Cloud had managed to convince Sephiroth to join him away from the crowds. Or rather, Cloud had convinced Sephiroth to let him go long enough to get outside. He wasn't at all surprised that Sephiroth wasn't letting him out of his sight. He knew how it felt to be confronted by a ghost.

"Hey," Once they'd wandered far enough away that Cloud was sure there would be no eavesdroppers, he turned to look at Sephiroth. The man was overwhelmed, that much was obvious, and Cloud wanted to help him understand. "I'm gonna let you get your thoughts in order." he told him, "And let you figure out what you're feeling, but later... Later I'll tell you everything, okay?"

Sephiroth nodded, still giving him a strange look.

"I'm not going anywhere." Cloud promised him. "I'm not going to disappear. I'm back. I'm home."

"You have your sword..." That wasn't what Cloud had expected Sephiroth to say, but it was a start. It was something to focus on that wasn't quite as emotional.

Cloud nodded, "I woke up in the church." He told him, "Aerith and Zeke were there. And my sword." He looked over his shoulder, "It needs a bit of cleaning, but it's still good." He turned his face back to Sephiroth, "And it was a good place to put it."

Sephiroth nodded, still dazed and Cloud took his hand again. This seemed to comfort the man somewhat, and it was actually kind of nice for Cloud too. A physical anchor to join the spiritual one.

"Come on." He gave a small pull on the hand, and led Sephiroth away, heading towards the edge of the plate.

They walked for a long time, hours. Most of the time, it was silent, both having a lot to think about. Sephiroth never once let go of Cloud's hand, even when they found themselves climbing over unfinished scaffolding on the edge of the plate. It made things a little challenging, but Cloud didn't protest.

Once they found themselves at the very edge of the plate, they sat down. Side by side, their shoulders pressed together and their hands clasped as they watched the sun rise in silence.

"I love you."

That was definitely not something Cloud expected to hear from Sephiroth. It had been obvious for months before Cloud left, that it was more than a crush or simple sexual attraction, but he'd never expected to actually hear those words. Especially not with how he'd made himself clear. But here they were, those three small words that had the power to change worlds.

"I... regretted not telling you." Sephiroth continued, "After you died..."

Cloud nodded, he could completely understand what Sephiroth was going through. The very first thing he'd said to Aerith when she'd been given her counterparts memories was something that he'd regretted not saying when she was alive.

"I know." Cloud told him quietly, "And I probably couldn't have come back if you didn't." He admitted. In the end, he'd needed the connection he had to both Zeke and Sephiroth. He'd had to figure out what he hadn't been able to understand in life. He had to follow the pull from both of them.

Sephiroth was looking at Cloud expectantly and he sighed softly before nodding. "Okay," He said, giving the hand in his a small squeeze. "It's a little unbelievable," He warned, only to let out a chuckle at the look Sephiroth gave him. Okay, so a lot of what they'd gone through was unbelievable. "Right. So from what I can understand of things, there's something that can happen to souls. It's very, very rare, but occasionally souls become intertwined," He looked down at their joined hands, looking at how their fingers were laced together. "Strong, shared emotions bond the souls in such a way that the planet itself can't tell them apart.

"In normal humans, it means that their feelings are intensified. Sometimes it's love, sometimes it's hate. It's not always a good thing. After one dies, the other usually follows not soon after. Death from a broken heart, or suicide or just plain bad luck. But with Cetra...

"When a Cetra has this bond, even death can't keep them apart. As long as one survives, the other can come back by following the bond they share. The desire, the need to come back has to be all encompassing, there can't be any doubt about their feelings or their want to come home. And the other person has to feel the same."

"But you're not Cetra..." Sephiroth pointed out quietly and Cloud realised just how strong the grip on his hand was, and how much the man was shaking.

Cloud shook his head, "No. I'm not. I'm touched by the planet, but I'm not Cetra. But unlike anybody else, my Nexis has two souls. I had two ropes to pull me back. And I knew what I was doing. It took me a bit... I had to remember who I was. Why I was fighting. I had to figure out my feelings towards you, and I had to fight my way home."

"You're really here..." Sephiroth sounded so broken. Cloud turned to face him to offer him a smile, but Sephiroth had his face in his hand, his shoulders shaking.

"Sephiroth..." It was then that Cloud realised that Sephiroth was crying, tears flowing down his cheeks. The man was letting out the emotion that was overwhelming him. "Yeah. I'm really here." He tried to get his hand back so he could put his arm around Sephiroth, but the man wouldn't relinquish his grip. Instead, Cloud reached across his own body and placed a hand on Sephiroth's knee. "And now I know my way back." He told him, "I can always come home to you."

They sat like that for a little while, Sephiroth silently letting his tears fall, and Cloud silently comforting him.

"People will come looking for you," Cloud said quietly, "If we don't get you back soon."

Sephiroth just shook his head, wiping his final tears away. "I don't care." He told him.

They stayed like that for a while longer, simply being together. When they eventually stood to leave, Sephiroth pulled Cloud towards him and dipped down, finding Cloud's lips with his own. And this time, Cloud kissed back.


	28. Their Family

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 28 – Their Family

"You know, I'm eventually going to need my hand back..." Cloud said with amusement. They had made their way back to the Shinra building – Sephiroth finally agreeing that if he was gone for too long, he would actually be missed – and were standing in the elevator.

Cloud didn't know which floor they were going to, and found he didn't actually care. He'd spent a few hours with Zeke and Aerith before heading up to the plate and was content to spend this time with Sephiroth.

"No." Sephiroth told him with a smile and a small squeeze of the hand. "You're right handed. I'm left handed. This works."

Cloud chuckled and shook his head, "And if you're sent on a mission?" He asked, "Are you intending on dragging me a long – literally?" He returned the squeeze on the hand.

"I wont be sent on a mission." Sephiroth assured him.

"Even you can't turn down _all_ missions, Sephiroth." Not that it overly bothered Cloud at the moment. But he really would eventually need his hand back and he didn't feel like being (literally) dragged along when in battle. Or even worse, on a political mission.

"No-one will be giving me missions."

The elevator stopped and Cloud looked around in curiosity. They were on the apartment level. It looked like nothing had changed at all. "Why's that?"

"I own the company."

This caused Cloud to stop dead, and Sephiroth had to stop a moment later when his hand was tugged. He turned and gave Cloud a sly smile.

"Since when?" This was new. Cloud hadn't been expecting that, and was more than a little curious – and surprised. Just how long had he been gone!? He knew it was a while, but wasn't entirely sure. Things had changed a lot – he may have been gone longer than he thought.

"Since yesterday. Technically." Sephiroth shrugged and gave a short yank on Cloud's arm to get them moving again. "I overthrew Shinra and took over. I've placed Reeve Tuesti in charge of everything bar the military. Which Zack and I are running."

"Well I guess that solves a few problems..." Like the fact that Cloud was legally dead and would need to sort that out. Originally, he'd decided that rejoining SOLDIER was something he would try to avoid, but if Sephiroth was in charge, that changed things. He needed a lot more information before he could make his decision on that matter. The fact that Sephiroth had put Reeve in charge should probably have been more of a surprise, but in Cloud's opinion, the man was the best for the job. He'd done it well in the future, after all. "Why did you do it?"

It was Sephiroth's turn to hesitate, but luckily they'd reached his apartment and he had a reason to stop. He opened the door and pulled Cloud inside before closing it again. "For you." He admitted quietly after the door was closed. "Our first goal was to take over the company. Second is to take care of the people. Eventually, we intend on shutting down the mako production and moving to other sources of power..."

Cloud was going to respond, but was pulled from his thoughts when Sephiroth used the hand he was holding to draw Cloud close.

"We intended on completing your mission." Sephiroth continued, "I... wanted to protect the lifestream... so that it would still be there when I came to you."

Cloud's heart melted. He was a little overwhelmed by this man, by his mission statement, by his reasoning. He lifted his chin and looked at him, unable to think of the words to convey what he was feeling.

Instead, he changed the subject. "I told you that I had to sort out my feelings," He began, suppressing the urge to let go of Sephiroth and pace while he spoke about his feelings, "Before I could use them to come home..." Sephiroth gave him a small nod and Cloud continued, "I..." How did one even do this? Tell someone their feelings? Cloud wasn't exactly good at this side of things, even when he knew what the other person felt. "I want to try." His voice had fallen to a whisper, and he could feel his skin turning pink. "With you." Was there any easier way to say this? A way where he wouldn't feel completely embarrassed by what he was saying? Maybe a way where he could get out a full sentence at once without stuttering like a lost teenager.

He _had_ missed out on most of his adolescence. He'd never actually learned how to do any of this. Sex... that he could do. He'd had some experience in that, but it had never had feelings involved. It had always been a physical need shared by two people. Never... romantic.

Sephiroth tilted his head to the side and gave him a curious look. "Try what?" He asked and Cloud ducked his head, hiding it against Sephiroth's chest.

"A relationship, idiot." He muttered against the leather, "I can't say I'll be any good at it, and I can't promise that it'll always be good... But I want to try."

Sephiroth's free arm circled Cloud and they stood quietly for a moment.

"I mean... it's been a while since I left and you might have found someone else and you might not be interested anymore and that's okay if you're not because I can't expect you to still want me after all this time and I can back off if you need me to and-"

"So that's where Zeke gets that from..." Sephiroth's tone was amused, and he gave a small laugh. "You both speak in extraordinary long sentences when flustered. Apparently you also forget to breathe."

A hand reached under Cloud's chin and lifted it so that Sephiroth could look down at him. "Cloud," He said his name as if it was the most precious word in the universe, and Cloud felt his heart jump. "I still want you." He told him, and again, Cloud forgot how to breathe.

Was it always this intense? Cloud wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or not. His heart was beating rapidly and his stomach was all fluttery. It wasn't an entirely comfortable feeling, but it wasn't a bad one either. He found that his mouth was dry and he swallowed.

"Then..."

Sephiroth's smile was small and sweet, "Then we try. But I believe for both of us, a slow progression would be best."

Cloud could agree to that, he nodded, "Slow works."

– – – – – – – –

Cloud had no idea what he was doing. After a long moment of silence by the door, Sephiroth had suggested that they sit down, and Cloud had readily agreed. However, Sephiroth still would not let go of Cloud's hand.

Eventually, they had found a comfortable position. Cloud was leaning against Sephiroth's chest with Sephiroth's arm over his own, still holding his left hand. It was mostly comfortable because of their proximity to each other and they could both relax. It was nice.

This position was how Zack found them, when he let himself into Sephiroth's apartment, apparently looking for Sephiroth. "Seph-" He walked in and caught sight of them, his eyes going wide and a grin on his face. "It _is_ you!" He called at Cloud, throwing himself at them on the couch, which resulted in a seriously awkward and uncomfortable hug and a knee dangerously close to somewhere painful. "You're alive!"

"Hello Zack." Cloud laughed, wriggling slightly to relieve some of the pressure that Zack was putting on his arm. Sephiroth still hadn't let go and Zack was pinning him uncomfortably. "I need to breathe, Zack." Cloud managed to mutter after a moment, prompting the young man to back off. He sat on his heels in front of the couch, grinning like a fool as Cloud rearranged himself on the couch. Somehow he ended up in Sephiroth's lap, rubbing at his wrenched arm.

"It's you! You're alive! You're real!" Zack was prodding at Cloud's knee and Cloud chuckled.

"Yes Zack. It's me. I'm alive. And I'm real." He relaxed against Sephiroth who snaked his arm around Cloud's midsection.

"And sitting in Sephiroth's lap." Zack added, giving them a curious look.

"Being dead causes you to re-evaluate your life." Cloud shrugged, "And he wont give me my hand back." He added with a fake pout, laughing again when Sephiroth squeezed his hand.

"About time!" Zack stood and sat on a chair, still staring at Cloud who sighed.

"I'm not going to disappear!" He told them both, "I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm _staying_." He couldn't blame them, not really. He _had_ been gone for a while and he could understand how difficult it might be to let someone go. He turned his face to Sephiroth, "I do need my hand back now." He told him.

Sephiroth shook his head. "We've been through this." He told Cloud, a smile playing on the edge of his mouth.

"I need the bathroom." Cloud told him, "And taking it slow means you don't get to watch that."

Cloud had his hand back, and the arm around his waist slowly let go. After a second, Cloud was free and he stood from Sephiroth's lap to make his way to the bathroom. He was gone for all of two minutes. When he came back, eyes were on him from the moment he was visible from the couch and he sighed again and shook his head, amused. He wondered how long these two would look at him like that.

He took a seat next to Sephiroth on the couch and gave a small yelp as the man pulled him back on to his lap. "Sephiroth, I'm not going to disappear."

The younger man just shrugged.

"I think he likes you," Zack said to Cloud in a mock whisper and Cloud absolutely lost it. He burst out laughing, which was quickly joined by the other two.

It was good to be home.

– – – – – – – – – – –

There really wasn't any 'normal' to return to, but Cloud gave it his best shot. It had taken two days for Sephiroth to finally allow Cloud out of his sight, which had made for a few awkward moments. He'd even insisted that Cloud sleep near him and would periodically wake in the night to check on him on his small futon. Cloud wondered how much of that was really worry about Cloud disappearing, and how much of it was simply the fact that Cloud was back, and Sephiroth liked to be reassured of that.

Things were different than before. Most notably was the fact that Shinra was under new management. They didn't have the old routine anymore, and Sephiroth suddenly had even more paperwork to take care of. He'd risen from soldier to leader and with that came a lot more desk work.

In the two days that he'd insisted Cloud accompany him, they'd spoken about logistics and had Cloud reinstated. Cloud was now back to being a SOLDIER First Class, and had agreed to help Sephiroth and Zack run the military.

He'd gone from being a leader of six people, to commanding a military. It was rather a jump, and Cloud was a little overwhelmed at times, but it was a step towards his final goal. They were bringing Shinra down from the inside.

"Why do all of these files have my name on them?" Cloud asked one day, regarding the papers with curiosity.

"Hmm?"

"Strife." Cloud dropped one of the pages onto a pile on the floor in front of him. "Strife." Another, "Strife." Another.

"Because I didn't like the name AVALANCHE and we had to call ourselves something." Sephiroth didn't even look up from his desk, left hand still moving furiously as he amended and signed things.

"You named the resistance Strife?" Cloud asked, looking at the pile of known members. It was huge. Much bigger than AVALANCHE had ever been.

Sephiroth shrugged, "It seemed fitting." He told him. "I was doing it in your memory, after all."

"I can only imagine the problems that caused my counterpart." Cloud added more papers to the pile, reading over them carefully, "Except he was apparently a member?"

"Was he?" Sephiroth moved another sheet to the side and finally looked down at Cloud. "You would probably be more comfortable at a desk..." He said for the third time that day.

"Told you, more comfortable on the floor." Cloud didn't look up as he sorted through files. "When I was in AVALANCHE, our meetings were in a basement. We didn't really have floor space. And after, when I was a delivery boy, I spent most of my time staying in the church. I spent a lot of my adult life filling in paperwork while sitting on the floor." He neatened a pile and finally looked up at Sephiroth, giving a small smile when their eyes met. "You should hire a secretary." He told him, "We all should. Someone who can take care of most of this paperwork for us."

Sephiroth tilted his head for a moment. "I hadn't considered that possibility." He admitted.

"You own the company now. You can do whatever you want. Hiring a secretary would be a fantastic start. If you don't want one, I definitely do, and I'm sure Zack does too. At this rate, it'll be hours before I can leave, and I promised Zeke and Aerith I'd take them to dinner. Assuming that my bank account isn't frozen or empty or something."

"You received back pay." Sephiroth told him. "I still haven't changed any policies for SOLDIER. The current policy states that if you were erroneously declared dead, you would be paid for the time between the announcement and your return to active duty."

"How long have I been gone?" Cloud asked, curious as to how much he would have stored in the bank by now.

"Three-hundred and sixty five days. Exactly one year between your death and your return." Sephiroth pushed his paperwork aside and leaned on his desk, ignoring it in favour of talking to Cloud. And looking at him. Cloud was sure he'd eventually get used to the staring.

Cloud did some math and his eyes widened a little. The pay with SOLDIER hadn't been that great, but it hadn't been awful either. One years wages for a SOLDIER on stand by was a substantial amount. He'd had more, when travelling to stop Meteorfall he'd amassed quite a small fortune, but not in a long while. He let out a slow whistle.

Sephiroth smirked and shrugged, "You are also now on an executive pay scale. There may be a reduction soon, but until then your pay has more than doubled."

Cloud blinked at Sephiroth, "I don't need that much..." He told him, "Send half of it to Reeve and earmark it for schools." He stretched and sighed before getting back into the paperwork. He was currently sorting through piles of personnel files, weeding out the ones that may cause trouble in the future – those that had been loyal to Shinra – and putting aside those that could be trusted.

So far, the trusted pile was a lot larger than the trouble pile. It was somewhat satisfying to see just how few people had actually liked the way the company had been run and how many of them had taken sides with Sephiroth.

After another hour, Cloud stretched again and stood. "Right." He said, "I'm calling it a night." Carefully, he picked his way through the office to Sephiroth's desk. "And you need to take a break too." He took the pen from Sephiroth and smiled down at him. "You're coming to dinner."

"Of course I'm coming." Sephiroth told him, almost pouting. "Invited or not, I was intending on being there."

Cloud shrugged, "We all just assumed you would anyway. You've been following me around like a lost chocobo chick for the last few days."

To his credit, Sephiroth didn't turn _entirely_ pink. Just a small flush on his cheeks when Cloud called him out.

"C'mon." Cloud made his way around the desk and took Sephiroth's hand, pulling him to his feet. "Let's not keep our family waiting."

"There's something we need to do first." Sephiroth reached into his draw with his spare hand and pulled out a PHS, handing it to Cloud. He then pulled his own out of his pocket and typed on it for a moment.

The one in Cloud's hand buzzed, and he realised that it was his. From before he died. "You kept this running?" He asked, opening it out of curiosity. It was fully charged and - "I have over 2000 missed calls...?" He flicked through the list and found a vast majority of them were from Sephiroth and Zack.

The flush on Sephiroth's face now deepened and the man kept his eyes on his own phone. "Your voice mail..." he muttered.

Ah. Cloud's answering machine message. Cloud remembered calling Aerith's a few times after she'd died, just so that he could hear her voice one more time. With a flick of his fingers, Cloud deleted the call history, and his emails. If there was anything important, he could find out without having to troll through thousands of messages.

"There." Sephiroth said, flicking his phone closed.

Cloud's beeped again, and he checked it. Sephiroth had sent a company wide email announcing Cloud's return from a 'deep cover mission'. Cloud gave Sephiroth a curious look.

"You were reported dead." He told him, "This way, if you are seen in public, there will be no questions. Deep cover missions tend to be classified. Nobody will ask you about it."

It made sense, Cloud supposed, and he nodded. Using the hand that was holding Sephiroth's, he pulled the man across the room to the exit and then paused. "Speaking of being seen in public..." He looked down at their joined hands.

As they'd agreed, they were taking things slowly. They hadn't done anything beyond holding hands and holding each other close. It had only been two days, and this was new to both of them, so neither of them had felt the need to push things. But that was in private.

"I am more than happy for the world to know that you are with me." Sephiroth told him, "But if you're uncomfortable with that..."

After a moments thought, Cloud shook his head. He let go of Sephiroth's hand only so that he could reach out for the other. It was a lot more comfortable to walk side by side this way. "There are worse things in the world," he said with a smirk, "Than being seen to belong to the most powerful man in the world."

"You don't belong to me, Cloud." None the less, Sephiroth held Cloud's hand tightly as they made their way to the elevators. "But I can understand the sentiment." Once the elevator doors had closed behind them, Sephiroth turned to Cloud and looked at him in that particular way that made Cloud's stomach feel strange.

Without thinking, Cloud lifted a hand and pulled Sephiroth down so he could place a soft kiss on the man's lips. Sephiroth let out a soft, surprised noise but pulled Cloud closer, his free hand resting lightly on Cloud's hips. The kiss was short and sweet, and when they pulled apart Cloud chuckled lightly at how pink Sephiroth had become. It was a good colour on the man.

"I like doing that." Sephiroth told him, sounding a little breathless. "We should do that more."

The elevator came to the ground floor before Cloud could say anything, and he ignored the urge to jump back and save face in case anyone was watching. Instead, he just slowly stepped back and turned to exit, walking past a stunned SOLDIER. The man looked slightly familiar, but Cloud couldn't quite place him.

Not that it mattered. They walked past the man and headed out the doors. They had somewhere to be.

– – – – – – – –

"They're here!" Aerith stood at their table and waved them over, a big happy grin on her face.

Cloud felt a little guilty, he hadn't been back to see Aerith since his return, and he'd only spent a couple of hours down there when he first got back. But she seemed happy enough that he was here, and he let go of his guilt – something else he'd been working on.

They had to move chairs around a little to fit everybody in, and Sephiroth was still insisting on sitting to Cloud's left, their hands still joined. Nobody at their table said anything about it.

When their food came, Cloud leaned to the side a little to nudge Sephiroth's shoulder. "I need my hand." He told him quietly. After a second, and a tiny almost pout, Sephiroth gave it up.

"I was going to make a joke." Zeke muttered, gesturing to where their hands had been held under the table, "About you being my new step daddy."

Sephiroth looked at him in confusion. "I am your legal parent..." He reminded him.

"Exactly! Now you've taken away the joke that people with single parents love!" The boy wasn't really complaining. Cloud could tell that he was more amused than anything else. But that did bring something up that Cloud had been curious about.

"When you took over, what did you do with Hojo?" He asked Zack and Sephiroth.

"I... took care of him." Zack told him, "He can't hurt anybody anymore." Cloud could read between the lines. Hojo was dead. That was a massive relief to Cloud and he let out a small breath.

"Good." He said with a nod, before turning to Zeke and Sephiroth. "That means that I can claim Zeke again?"

"There... might be a little more paperwork involved." Sephiroth admitted. Cloud was waiting for him to explain, but Zeke got there first.

"This year, for my birthday, Sephiroth legally adopted me." Zeke told Cloud, "So that if anything happened to him, I'd be considered an heir."

"I wanted to make sure that he would always be provided for." Sephiroth added, looking down at his half eaten meal.

"They made me godmother." Aerith added from her side of the table. "And my mother, if something happened to me."

Cloud looked at his friends. They had all done their part to make sure that his son was taken care of after he'd died. They had done everything they could to ensure the safety of the most important thing in Cloud's life.

"Thank you." Those words didn't seem to be enough, didn't cover just how much their actions had meant to him. He looked around the table, at each one of them, a little overcome with emotion. He felt a hand gently squeeze his knee and realised that his face must have been expressive.

"Unfortunately that means that in order for you to adopt Zeke, I must first disown him." Sephiroth admitted, "We weren't expecting to have that... come up."

Cloud nodded, thinking on things. Did it matter if he had no legal claim over his son? The boy was probably better off financially and legally where he was rather than with Cloud. But...

"Or you two could get married." Zeke piped up and Cloud almost choked on his food. He coughed a few times and shook his head.

"That's- we just- there's a lot-" He couldn't quite finish a sentence and cut himself off when he realised that Zeke was laughing at him, almost cackling. The rest of the table were either smiling with humour or also laughing, including Sephiroth.

"That is a conversation for the future." He told Zeke, still chuckling. "Do you feel better, now that you've got your joke?"

Zeke nodded, still laughing. "Your face!" He said to Cloud. "Man I wish I had a camera."

Zeke had changed so much in just a year. Cloud watched his son for a while, marvelling in the differences. The boy was now ten years old, and a few cementers shorter than Cloud. In a few months, he would be taller than him. His personality had grown too, he was less shy and a lot more sure of himself. He also apparently liked to pick on Cloud a little.

So Cloud decided to be the mature one of them and poke his tongue out at the boy, which simply made the kid laugh even harder.

– – – – – – – – – –


	29. Their Crew

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 29 – Their Crew

After dinner, Sephiroth and Cloud returned to Sephiroth's apartment. Cloud was still getting used to their new dynamic, but could admit to himself that he liked it. He'd never really been in a relationship before. He'd tried once with Tifa after Meteorfall, but they hadn't managed to make it work, and it wasn't until after some deep personal reflection that Cloud realised that he preferred the company of other men. That had been a bit of a shock to them both until Cloud had realised that Zack had been completely straight, and when he'd adopted Zack's memories, he had apparently tried to adopt his sexuality also. Along with a lot of things, that hadn't stuck after he'd regained his own sense of self.

But now, now he was in a relationship with Sephiroth. It was new, it was exciting and it was a little terrifying. Above all else, it felt right.

With a small smile, he crossed the room to stand beside Sephiroth by the window. When the man turned to him, he took the opportunity to press their lips together in what slowly built up to a rather passionate kiss. Cloud wasn't complaining, he was very much enjoying it, and he could tell that Sephiroth was too. It may have gone further, if not for the sudden and crippling pain in his head.

Like always, it had come on suddenly and without warning. The pain struck his brain like lightning, and whispers of images flashed through his mind, one after another in rapid succession, never giving him enough to understand what was going on.

He was aware enough of his surroundings to feel the hard floor beneath his knees and the strong arm on his shoulder. He could hear Sephiroth's concerned voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying. The pain was intensifying, building and Cloud knew that this one would likely knock him out.

He grasped his head, crying out at the pain and then let darkness take him.

– – – – – – –

He had expected to wake up somewhere different. It was a common occurrence when his brain exploded in pain. What he wasn't expecting, was to wake up in the infirmary with a very concerned Sephiroth by his side.

"Cloud!"

With effort born of exhaustion, Cloud moved his head to focus on Sephiroth. "Hey," He managed, wincing at how dry his throat was. How long had he been out?

He was gently helped into a sitting position and a straw was pushed against his lips. Checking that it was Sephiroth who was offering him the drink, he slowly swallowed and his throat started to feel better.

"What happened?" Sephiroth asked when Cloud had finished the water.

"I'm not sure." Cloud answered honestly, "Either it was Jenova or the planet." He sat up fully, feeling a lot better already. "Some sort of message?"

"We successfully sent Jenova into deep space." Sephiroth informed him. Good. That was good. That meant that the message must have come from the planet. "But her people are still coming." Or not. That was not good. Very not good.

That was possibly something he should have asked about earlier, he realised. But he'd been so caught up in being home and with the budding romance between himself and Sephiroth, that he hadn't even thought to ask.

"What's the plan?" He asked instead.

"We don't have one as of yet."

Cloud grimaced. "How long?"

"Aerith predicts a few weeks."

They were interrupted by a woman in a lab coat approaching them. Cloud tensed until he felt Sephiroth's hand on his arm. He still didn't trust scientists, especially ones who had worked for Shinra. But Sephiroth had been going through personnel files and firing anybody he didn't think could be trusted. So Cloud didn't need to trust the scientist. He needed to trust Sephiroth. That was easily done.

"Good morning sir." She greeted, "I'm afraid your blood work all came back normal." She was consulting the chart in her hands, "We haven't been able to find the cause of your migraine, or your black out, but that isn't unusual in migraine cases. Sometimes there is an easily identifiable trigger. What were you doing in the moments leading up to your migraine?"

Cloud felt himself blush and he shook his head, "Don't worry." He told her, "I've had these before. I know what happened."

"Oh, there's nothing in you file..."

Cloud knew there was not much in his file. He'd kept it that way quite on purpose, and he didn't intend on changing that now. He shook his head again and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm fine." He told her, "I'm leaving."

He collected his boots and left, not bothering to put them on until he was away from the infirmary. As he'd predicted, Sephiroth followed him out. "I apologise." He said when he caught up, "I wasn't sure what to do when you didn't wake up right away..."

Cloud shrugged. Sephiroth had never seen him have one of those headaches outside of Nibelheim, and he'd been struggling with his own at that time. "It's fine." He muttered, still walking away. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and the medical wing as possible.

"You need to update me on what's going on." He said, still mad at himself for not asking earlier. Sephiroth nodded and Cloud could see that the man understood. He was military after all.

– – – – – – – –

Sephiroth had called a meeting of their party, and for once they could actually use a conference room. It was a little surreal, being able to discuss this in such an open area, and Cloud knew from experience how easy it was to spy on this meeting in that room. All it took was jumping off a toilet.

But Shinra was no longer in charge. Sephiroth was. This was his company now, and the majority of the people here were loyal to him, either out of respect or fear.

The conference room had more people in it than Cloud was expecting and he paused slightly when he walked in. His party were there, Aerith, Zeke and Zack were sat on one side of the table and Sephiroth took his place at the head. But the other side of the table also had people sitting there. He gave Sephiroth a curious look. How much had he missed?

"Ladies and gentlemen," Sephiroth began, "I have gathered you to discuss a matter of great importance. Many of you know Cloud Storm," he gestured to Cloud with one arm, "my third in command." Since when? Cloud knew he was helping with the military, but official third in command? "Cloud, most of these people you know."

Cloud looked around. Across the table were four Turks, a woman in a white lab coat and Reeve. On the same side as Zack, Aerith and Zeke sat another Second Class SOLDIER and he was only vaguely familiar. He nodded.

Sephiroth continued, "Tseng, Reno, Rude and Cissnei are Turks that are now loyal to me." Cloud didn't completely buy that. He remembered a time in the future where three out of four of them were loyal to Rufus, even after everything that had happened. He intended on being wary, but also knew from experience that the Turks could be somewhat trusted. He'd worked with them before.

"We also have Doctor Kiki, the new head of science." Cloud had never even heard of her. He wondered just how far down the chain Sephiroth had had to go to find someone even slightly trustworthy. "Our new CEO Reeve Tuesti, and Second Class SOLDIER Kunsel."

Ah. Kunsel. That was why he was so familiar. He was one of Zack's friends and Cloud had met him a handful of times. Including once in the future when he'd found a lost little boy and brought him back.

Cloud nodded, and Sephiroth continued for everyone else's benefit. "Also in attendance are First Class SOLDIER Zack Fair, Aerith Gainsborough and Zeke Valentine." He gestured for Cloud to take a seat beside him and Cloud sat.

"So why're we here?" Reno asked, leaning back on his chair as he regarded the room. To most, it looked like Reno was being relaxed, but Cloud knew what he was doing. He was putting on a show designed to make people underestimate him. Most of the time it worked.

"There is an enemy approaching." Sephiroth told them before turning to Cloud. "Cloud. You are our foremost expert, if you would," He gestured around the room and Cloud nodded, realising that he was in fact their expert on Jenova.

"Two thousand years ago, a creature fell to the planet. The Cetra called it the Calamity. From what I can tell, it was some sort of parasite that invaded a host. It used that host to mutate or kill most of the Cetra before they were able to seal it away in the Northern Crater where it remained for almost two thousand years until Shinra scientists found end excavated it. They believed it to be Cetra and attempted to use it to bring the Cetra back from the brink of destruction."

He saw the Turks eyeing Aerith and knew that these had been the ones assigned to watch her. She seemed to realise it too, because she gave them a small glare.

"Did it work?" The scientist – Kiki – asked.

Cloud gave a half shrug. "After a fashion." He admitted, "Their initial experiments didn't yield the results that they wanted, but it did give them something. After further study, they modified a serum that could be used to enhance a human being."

"What sort of enhancement?" It didn't surprise him that the scientist was interested in this, nor did it surprise him that the Turks were paying a lot of attention to his words.

Cloud simply gestured towards Kunsel and Zack, the latter of which gave a small wave and the former was looking between Cloud and Zack. It was difficult to tell what the man was thinking since he was wearing a helmet, but Cloud couldn't help but think that this was the first the man was hearing about it.

"SOLDIER came from the experiments done on the Calamity?"

"Yes." This time it was Sephiroth who spoke up. "The experiments carried out on me showed promise, and Hojo decided to test what would happen on an adult."

"On an... You mean they experimented on you when you were a kid?" This question had come from Reeve who was wearing an appalled look on his face. Cloud couldn't blame him, and grimaced as Sephiroth continued.

"I was conceived to be experimented on." He told him and Reeve's face paled even further, "They began before I was born. I was injected with live cells, however, SOLDIER were given inert cells."

"The problem is," Cloud took over, "That while the Calamity that fell to the planet has been neutralised, her people are on their way." He gestured to the window, not surprised when everybody looked. "You can't see it now, but has anybody noticed the new stars in the sky?" He asked. The new stars were bright enough to be seen through Midgar's light pollution and general haze. There were nods around the room and Cloud carried on, "Those aren't stars. They're Jenovians."

"But why are they coming? They're a bit late for a rescue mission..." Reno now had both feet planted on the ground and was paying complete attention.

"Because Jenova called them. One of the characteristics of this race is that they are able to summon individual cells to them. A large enough mass of them will attract others if they want to. They will also attract anything that has absorbed enough live cells."

"How do you mean?" This time it was Tseng asking and Cloud turned to them. He wasn't entirely sure how to explain Reunion to these people. He barely understood it himself.

"When the creature takes on a host, it floods the body with its cells. It can then use those cells to control the host. It also has telepathic abilities which it can use on other creatures that contain enough of its cells." He wasn't sure if he was making sense to the new people in the room, but the scientist at least was nodding.

"Then what about SOLDIER? Can we be controlled by it?" Kunsel asked and Cloud could see how white the man's skin had gotten, even under the helmet. He shook his head.

"Normal SOLDIER's aren't effected." He reassured the man. "I, however, am."

"As am I." Sephiroth added.

Zeke nodded and put his hand up, "Me too." He told them.

"The three of us are products of some of Hojo's experimentation." Once again, Sephiroth was speaking, "As far as I am aware, we are the only three people alive with sufficient live cells to be effected. We have all experienced it before, and are prepared for it."

"You're project C!" The scientist was looking at Cloud with wide eyes.

Well... At least in this timeline he got his number. Or letter. The Hojo of this time period didn't consider him a failure. There was a time when Cloud would have been happy about that. Now he just found the thought oddly amusing.

"Project C?" He prompted, wanting to know exactly what the project was about.

There was a flurry of movement as the scientist flipped through one of the many files on the desk in front of her. "Yes. I've been going through Hojo's files since taking on the position of Head of Science and I came across a few... Projects. According to Hojo, you were naturally enhanced by way of falling into a mako pool as a child. He found you very fascinating, especially when he found out that mako has no effect on you and that you're immune to mako poisoning."

There were a few surprised faces in the room but Cloud just gestured for her to continue. He probably should have got her to tell him this in private, but he had the feeling that these people would find out anyway. Many of them were Turks, one was the CEO and the others were trusted members of his party.

"So he devised a few tests to run. The first was an injection of the SOLDIER serum usually reserved for Sephiroth. Your only recorded reaction to that was skin irritation." Cloud remembered. That had been his first day. He hadn't even made it to SOLDIER at that point.

"The next one was... Oh goodness, he poisoned the coffee on the SOLDIER floor with mako." Her eyes widened at that, as if she was surprised at the lengths that Hojo would go to. "Many people fell sick, but you weren't affected, despite drinking... nine cups in an hour?"

Cloud nodded, that sounded about right. "Coffee isn't very effective on me." He told her, "I have to drink a lot of it to work."

She nodded and looked back down at the files. "The next was... He soaked your uniform shirt in a mixture of mako and... J-cells..."

Okay. So that explained a few things. He held up his hand to stop her from speaking, deciding instead that he would talk to her alone later. Cloud had never figured out what Hojo had given him to make his skin react like it had, and it was one of those little things that had bothered him. Direct exposure to mako had made him mildly itchy, but when Hojo had dosed his shirt, he'd felt like he was about to scratch his skin off.

It made sense and he gave a nod. "The skin irritation was because the cells on the outside of my body were trying to join the ones on the inside." Or at least, that was his working theory.

"So the rest of her people are coming?" Tseng prompted after a moment, apparently wanting to move the briefing on. "You said that the one that had landed here was neutralised?"

Cloud nodded, "Shinra No. 26." He told him and Tseng nodded.

"What's Shinra No. 26?" Kunsel asked.

"A rocket designed for space travel that Shinra had been working on. Just over a year ago it was launched without authorisation." Tseng told the SOLDIER. "I believe I can now close that investigation."

Sephiroth nodded.

"What is our current plan?" Reeve spoke up again, looking very lost. This wasn't really his area and Cloud wasn't entirely sure why he was here other than the fact that he was now running the company.

"We don't have one." Cloud told him. "We need ideas."

"Could we use more rockets?" Kunsel suggested.

"Shinra No. 26 cost Fifteen Billion Gil and took almost a decade to design and build." Tseng told him, "It would not be feasible."

"What about the cannon at Junon?" was Reno's suggestion.

"We need a way of defeating them before they get here." Sephiroth told them. "If they die here, they will join the lifestream here and pollute it. Which in turn will poison the planet and everything on it."

There was quiet in the room, and it was then that Cloud remembered that believing in the lifestream was considered a religion. Suddenly he realised that the people in the room thought that Sephiroth was a religious man who was recruiting them. He shook his head.

"The lifestream is real." He told them, looking at each one of them in the eyes. "I've been there." He told them, "A few times."

"I am Cetra." Aerith spoke for the first time, hands clasped on the table in front of her. "My people can commune with the planet."

"Aren't Cetra the ones who're supposed to help us find the promised land?" Reno asked, looking at Aerith.

Cloud laughed and shook his head, "I can take you there right now, if you want."

"Cloud..." Sephiroth warned, a hand on his arm. It was then that he realised just how tense he was and he forced himself to calm down.

"The promised land is a meeting place in the afterlife." He told them. "A Cetra can take you there to wait for your loved ones to join you." There were a lot of disbelieving looks in the room and he rolled his eyes. "It looks like a garden." He added with a shrug.

"Believe us or don't." Zeke said quietly, "But the lifestream is real. And if even if you don't believe it, the Jenovians are still a threat that needs to be taken care of. Even if it wasn't going to hurt the planet, wouldn't it make sense to take them out before they get here anyway?"

Silence fell in the room again while everyone thought on that.

"I'm in." Kunsel raised his hand and shrugged, "I mean, I'm SOLDIER and under your command, so I'm kinda already in, but hey, I know what's going on and I volunteer."

Cloud let out a bit of a chuckle and nodded, a little relieved that someone was interested in helping.

"Me too..." Doctor Kiki timidly raised her hand. The Turks nodded and Reeve just looked a little lost.

"I'm happy to do what I can to help," He told them, "But I'm not sure how much use I'll be..."

Sephiroth nodded. "We need ideas on how to get to them, and how to destroy them." He turned to Doctor Kiki. "Find what information you can about Jenova. Make sure that everybody in this room gets everything you can find. I don't care how classified it is." She nodded. "Any ideas come directly to either myself, Cloud, Zack or Zeke." He told the room. "Dismissed."

The Turks, scientist, Reeve and Kunsel slowly left the room, leaving Cloud and his party behind.

"Are you sure about this?" Cloud asked, looking at Sephiroth and perching on the edge of the table next to the man. He had his arms folded in front of his chest.

Sephiroth let out a slow breath and shook his head. "No." He answered honestly, looking up at Cloud with a soft smile. "But what happened to me, happened to me. People not knowing about it doesn't change that and they already know that I'm different. Some may see me as a monster and fear me, others may pity me, but that doesn't matter." He looked around the room, at his friends. "I know I'm not a monster."

– – – – – – – – – –

Cloud spent the afternoon with Aerith and Zeke, trying to make sense of the information he'd gathered during his migraine. All he could clearly remember seeing were small orbs of light trailed by multicoloured energy. There were seven in total.

They had come to the conclusion that it had been the planet making a distress call to all those that could hear her. Sephiroth hadn't mentioned anything to Cloud, but Aerith pointed out that Sephiroth might not have his mind open enough to receive the messages. He believed in the lifestream because it had given him comfort to believe, and because Cloud had told him it was real. He saw it as a fact of life, not as something spiritual.

Aerith had said that the mindset mattered and only those who understand the planet and are Cetra would be able to hear it. Cloud could only hear it because he had been touched by the planet, sent through the lifestream on many occasions, and because he had been born of an experiment designed to copy Sephiroth. He wasn't a Cetra – he wasn't born into his gifts – but he was close enough to hear the planet shout. Which was also why his brain had felt like it was going to explode.

Aerith likened it to someone being only able to get your attention with a grenade. It had to be loud and powerful enough to hurt.

– – – – – – – – – –

Later, Cloud and Sephiroth were sat on Sephiroth's couch relaxed and intertwined. The television in the corner was being vaguely watched by the pair as their minds went over the information they had gathered and parted with today.

"Are you upset that I brought others into the discussions?" Sephiroth asked and Cloud shook his head, closing his eyes and sighing.

"No. A little warning would've been nice, but all the help we can get, right?" He shifted slightly and found himself once again on Sephiroth's lap. At one point in his life, he would have been irritated at being the one sitting on someone else's lap. He would've taken it as an insult towards his height. But now? Now it just felt right. He could curl up and be surrounded by the man.

Sephiroth's phone beeped and the man leaned over to retrieve it from the small table beside the couch. He flipped it open and let out a chuckle. "The Chocobo's Sword are back." He told Cloud.

"My fan club?"

Sephiroth nodded and gave a hum of affirmation while he read through the message. He let out another chuckle. "And they're very happy that we're still a couple, even after a year apart."

Cloud let out a sigh and Sephiroth chuckled again. "Like it or not, Cloud, our relationship will be publicised." He warned him, "As you said, I am the most powerful man in the world right now."

"I know." Cloud muttered, "I was just hoping it would take them a little longer."

Again, Sephiroth laughed. He put his pone away and looked down at the man in his arms and offered him a smile when he looked up. "They only see what we let the world see." He told him, "They won't see this." He gestured to how they were sitting and Cloud gave him a smile.

"Right." He had to admit, he wasn't as upset about his fan club as he felt like he should have been. Definitely not as upset as he would have been before he died. Now it was just a minor irritation.

"Good." Sephiroth dipped his head and kissed Cloud.

– – – – – – – –


	30. Zeke's Choice

To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 30 – Zeke's Choice

"I'm not going to disappear." Cloud reassured Sephiroth again, an amused smirk on his face, "I'm just going to spend some time with Zeke at the church." His hand was on Sephiroth's chest when the man made a move to follow him. " _Alone_."

Sephiroth gave a half pout and sighed. "Alright." He said reluctantly.

It had been seven days since Cloud had returned, and Sephiroth was still anxious when Cloud was out of his sight. He could understand it. It was a lot easier to remember that someone was alive and well if you could see them, a lot easier to feel like you could protect them from ever having to go away again if you were by their side. But Cloud needed to spend time with his son, especially when the boy had asked for it.

"I'll be back." Cloud reassured Sephiroth, reaching up to give him a small kiss. "I promise."

– – – – – – – – – –

Cloud arrived at the church and was surprised that Aerith wasn't there. The only times he'd seen the church empty of her presence was late at night, or after she had died. Even then, a part of her had still been there.

But now, it was just Zeke, kneeling in front of the flowers with his hands clasped in front of him in prayer. Cloud quietly moved to sit next to him, waiting for the boy to be done.

"I can't hear her." The words were quiet, whispered in fear. Zeke opened his eyes and looked at Cloud. He looked terrified. "Every day of my life, for as long as I can remember, I could hear her in the back of my mind. A thousand whispers. Even when I shouldn't have been able to, even when Aerith had trouble and Jenova was shouting in my mind, I could still hear her..." He swallowed and looked back at the flowers, tears gathering in his eyes. "But since you came back, my head's been silent. Nothing. Not a whisper."

Cloud gathered the boy into his arms as he began to sob. He couldn't imagine what the boy was going though, the pain of losing something that had always been there. "What did Aerith say?" He asked quietly.

Zeke shook his head, "I haven't told her." He said, "I... I'm afraid..." He clutched to his father as if his life depended on it, and Cloud held him back just as tightly. "I want to go to Lucrecia's cave." Zeke said after a few minutes. "The planet felt closer there..."

Probably because of all the mako. Cloud nodded, "Yeah." He told his son, "I'll arrange that."

– – – – – – – –

Zeke had wanted to go alone, and with some hesitation, Cloud and Sephiroth had allowed it. The boy was more than capable in a fight, and if something happened, the pilot would be there. The pilot had been given strict instructions to follow Zeke's orders.

He was gone for a few days, and when he came back, he was quiet. Very quiet. He wouldn't answer Cloud's questions and even Aerith was getting worried, but they had bigger things to worry about. The Jenovians were close enough now that they could be seen during the day, and Cloud was reminded strongly of the days leading up to Meteorfall, not just by the visuals, but also by the general atmosphere around them. Boding. Dark. Scared. They had to act, but they still didn't have any plan. Nobody had been able to think of anything that would take care of them before they landed.

They were no closer to a solution.

– – – – – – – –

Three days after Zeke had come back from Lucrecia's cave, Zack received a frantic call from Aerith. He paled and almost dropped the phone. Cloud looked at him with worry and curiosity, and Zack swallowed before speaking.

"Zeke knocked Aerith out with a sleep spell and took Holy."

Beside Cloud, Sephiroth froze and went pale. Cloud looked between them, about to demand answers, to know what the hell was going on, when he felt a very familiar pull and an insatiable urge to make his way _up_.

"Reunion..." He whispered, looking up to the ceiling, terrified. Were the Jenovians recruiting from the planet below? Were they looking for their lost member? Cloud didn't know, but he knew he had to find out. Sephiroth was already heading towards the stairs, and Cloud decided to follow the call.

"Hey wait!" Zack followed them, phone still clutched in his hands. "What's going on?"

"We're being called to the roof." Cloud told Zack as they began to climb. He could have stopped himself, he could have turned around and fought against it, but for some reason he knew that he shouldn't, that this was the reunion call he had to follow.

They made their way up the stairs, soon finding themselves on the roof of the building. Standing on the very edge was Zeke, his long coat flapping in the wind. For the first time since he'd come back to the past he wasn't wearing his hat and his long silver hair was dancing in the wind.

He was facing them, his back to Midgar, and when his family arrived he opened his eyes. Green eyes met theirs and a small, sad smile formed on his face.

"There was a play I went to once." He said, his voice quiet but easily heard even over the wind. "I loved the poetry of it. 'When the war of the beasts, brings about the worlds end, the goddess descends from the sky...' but I could never remember the next part... I wish I could remember the next part... It's been driving me mad."

"Wings of light and dark spread afar, she guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting." Sephiroth spoke quietly, taking a step forward towards the boy.

"Don't!" Zeke held his hand out, palm forward. "Don't come any closer."

Cloud could see the pain and fear in the boy's face he wanted to do nothing more than gather him up in his arms, to hold him close and take all the pain away. But he didn't know what was happening, what was going on. Sephiroth seemed to understand so Cloud would follow his lead.

"The play is called Loveless." Sephiroth let his hand drop and spoke to Zeke. "An old... friend of mine used to repeat it incessantly... I can teach it to you. All of it... If you come away from the edge."

Zeke shook his head and took a small step back, his heal now perched over the edge of the building. "I have to do this." He told them, "I know what I have to do now."

"Zack..." Cloud tried this time, reaching for his boy. "You're calling for us..."

Zeke shook his head. "Do you know what the last thing she said to me was?" He asked, answering himself before anybody else could, "You are _complete_." He let out a bitter laugh, "You are complete. Then _nothing_! Even when I went to Lucrecia's cave, I couldn't hear her. I couldn't hear anything. And then... And then I knew what I had to do."

He lifted his arms to his side and looked up at the sky. Above him, the Jenovians were growing brighter and brighter. "I'm not calling you." Zeke said to Cloud, "I'm calling _them_."

"What are you planning!?" Zack called out to the boy, "To call them down so they get here faster? We can't let them die here!"

"I know what I have to do..." Zeke said to them. "' _He will know when it is needed. The white of light, the end of life. He will know what to do and where to go. He will know his journey must end..._ ' Every day of my life has been leading to this. Every day of my life, the planet has been giving me her power, trickling it into me so that it filled my every cell. Every day of my damn _life_ , the planet has been moulding me into what she needed... I thought she was benevolent, that she cared for all the creatures on her surface... And she does... But what is the life and soul of one in comparison to everything else? Sacrifice one to save them all... She knew this was going to happen. That's why I was saved. That's why I was brought here..."

Cloud was vaguely aware of the door behind them opening and someone joining them, but his attention was consumed by the boy on the edge of the building, sprouting nonsense. He didn't know what was going on, but by the terrified reactions of those around him, it was something bad.

"Zeke..." The newcomer was Aerith and she stepped forward, joining them in their line. "Don't do this... it will consume you..."

Zeke's eyes met Aerith's and he gave her a sad smile. "I know." He said, his voice losing the volume it had gained. "And it's going to be worse for you than it is for me. When it's done... I won't exist any more... And its you who'll have to face that..."

He looked down at his hand, at the small orb held within it. After a moment, he lifted his head and regarded the people in front of him. "I love you." He said to them, "and I'm sorry."

With that, he crossed his arms over his chest, bending forward slightly before lifting his arms with a burst of speed. From his back sprouted two wings, one scarily familiar to Cloud. Dark feathers fell from it, slowly drifting away in the wind. But the other side, the other wing was a brilliant silver.

"Wings of light and dark..." Sephiroth quoted, looking at the boy in astonishment.

But Cloud couldn't speak, he couldn't think as he watched his son step backwards off the ledge and slowly rise with the steady and slow beat of his wings. The pull on him became stronger and he took several steps forwards, intending on jumping after his boy. The only thing stopping him was the strong grip from Zack.

"You said it would consume him." Cloud spoke quickly, turning to Aerith. She was kneeling on the ground, tears pouring from her eyes and her hands clasped in front of her as if in prayer. "You said it would consume him and he said he wouldn't exist anymore. Aerith, what's going on!?"

"Holy." Zack spoke from behind him, still holding him down. "Holy-" His voice broke, "Holy consumes the soul of the caster."

No. That wasn't right. Aerith's soul had moved on to the lifestream, joined the planet. She hadn't been consumed. "No." He shook his head, still looking at Aerith, "You weren't!"

"She was interrupted." This time it was Sephiroth speaking. He too had fallen to his knees, his eyes stuck on the young man hovering far away. "She didn't complete the spell..."

Cloud tore his eyes from Aerith and looked up at his boy. Zeke was hovering in place, several feet above them and a dozen feet in front of them. His hands were held in front of him, a glowing orb floating between them. His eyes were closed in concentration and Cloud could feel the pull as he summoned the Jenovians.

They came, their screams deafening and their lights blinding. They floated around Zeke before flying into him, forcing their way under his skin. One by one, they merged into him, but Zeke didn't move, didn't cry out, just kept his eyes closed and his arms steady around Holy. The sky darkened and opened up, rain began to heavily fall.

Cloud tried to run forward, to join his boy. He knew that there was no way to reach him, no way that he could jump that high and that far, but he had to try. Even if he fell to his death, he had to try. He couldn't just let Zeke die all alone in the sky. But he was held back, strong arms circled him and held him against a leather clad chest. Sephiroth was the one holding him now, holding him back, stopping him. "Let me go!" He ordered, trying to break free. "Let me-"

There was a blinding flash of light. It came from Zeke, it came from Holy. The light shone and grew, surrounding Zeke and forming the shape of an egg. It stopped for a moment before shrinking rapidly, falling in on itself until it was no bigger than the materia it had come from. It fell to the ground, leaving the sky empty.

"ZACK!"

All at once, Cloud felt his world crashing around him, the rain hurt his skin, the wind battered his head, his heart had stopped. For the second time in his life, he let out a guttural scream of rage, sorrow and helplessness as he stared at the place his son had been just moments before. And for the second time in his life, Cloud Strife stopped. His eyes went blank and his body slumped down, able to do no more than preform its basic functions.

Zeke was gone.


	31. Epilogue

To The Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 31 – Epilogue

His awareness was vague at best. He could hear voices, familiar but unplaceable. He could hear mechanical sounds, beeping. He could smell something acidic. But his brain wouldn't process them. Wouldn't tell him what the sounds and smells were. What they meant. He just let them wash over him.

" _Catatonic." "Trauma" "PTSD" "Unlikely to wake up"_

He let them flow through him, didn't let him self care. He was numb. He had to stay numb. Not numb hurt.

" _Come back to me." "We're waiting for you." "Come home." "Wake up."_

Voices. Male. Female. Familiar.

" _A new life?" "He'll wake up one day." "You need to go home, get some rest." "You can't spend all your time here." "We could move him," "Bring him home." "Her name is Lilly."_

The cries of an infant.

The cries of an infant. Cloud blinked his eyes open. The ceiling above him was grey. The bed he was on was soft. The cries of the infant were to his left. With aching limbs and a struggling mind, he turned and sat up. The baby was in a crib beside his bed, wailing in a way that told Cloud that she was hungry. Without thought, he picked her up and held her to his chest. Her cries became whimpers for a moment before returning to full force. He let her suck on his fingertip and she went quiet, still squirming in his arms.

"Cloud..." Aerith was stood by the door, a bottle in her hand. She was shaking as she stepped forward. "Cloud... you're awake?"

Cloud's body was shaking and he took a step back to sit on the bed. He didn't want to drop the precious bundle in his arms. He removed his finger from her mouth and held out a hand. Aerith handed him the bottle and moved to sit beside him.

"Who is she?" His voice was hoarse, his throat sore. He followed old habits and checked the temperature of the milk in the bottle before placing the nipple against the baby's mouth. She began to hungrily drink it down and Cloud couldn't help but smile down at her.

"Her name is Lilly." Aerith said quietly, watching Cloud and the child. "She... She's mine and Zack's..."

Cloud blinked at her and looked back down at the child. "But SOLDIER serum causes sterility..." Cloud said, his mind still not working up to speed.

Aerith shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "The J-Cells interfered with normal reproduction." She told him, "That's why SOLDIER's couldn't have children... But Zeke called the rain... He neutralised the J-Cells. Anybody who was touched by it... It reversed the effects of the serum..."

That was a lot of information for Cloud to take in, and his brain hurt so he decided to think on it later.

"Only you and Sephiroth kept your enhancements... The rain made your J-cells inert but couldn't get rid of them. They're tied so deeply to your DNA..."

The baby had finished her bottle, and Cloud put it aside, still following old habits. He lifted the young child to his chest and began to gently rub her back.

"How long...?"

"Two years. We were told that you would never wake up..." She smiled at him sadly and gently took her baby. "But we didn't give up hope..." She stepped away with her baby. "I'll let the others know you're awake..." She said and then she was gone.

– – – – – – –

Sephiroth came to him next. He all but flew into the room in his haste but stopped dead the moment he saw Cloud. "You need to stop doing that." He said quietly, finally moving to sit next to the blond. "You promised you wouldn't disappear. But you did. You can't do that again." A shaking, hesitant hand reached out towards Cloud.

Cloud captured it in his own and pressed it against his chest. "I'm here." He told him quietly, "I'm alive... I'm awake... I'm sorry it took me so long..."

There were tears from both of them, and a crushing hug that neither wanted to give up.

– – – – – – – –

Things had changed a lot in two years. The biggest change had been within Midgar. Travel between the plate and the slums was now free for all residents, many had been offered free housing on the plate, and engineers had been sent below to help build better and more stable homes for those that wished to stay. Schools had been set up both above and below the plate and were free for anyone to attend, young or old.

The taxes had been increased slightly, but the people weren't upset about it. In fact, most of them seemed happy about some of the changes. Even when Sephiroth had announced that they were reducing mako production and introducing alternative power generation techniques.

International relations between Shinra and Wutai were at an all time best. Sephiroth had sent supplies and gifts to the nation to help them get back on their feet after the war. He'd pulled out all Shinra personnel and began working on a treaty with Godo Kisaragi in order to preserve the culture of Wutai while still allowing them to be on good terms with Shinra.

Satellite reactors were shut down and dismantled, leaving the only active ones left in Midgar, which were shut down one at a time over the span of the two years that Cloud had been catatonic. Now only one remained powered, and they were looking into ways to be able to shut that down without impacting the population too much.

Cloud stood with Sephiroth in their apartment and looked over the city. It was no longer so dark and dreary. Small patches of colour could be seen here and there. One of the other changes Sephiroth had brought about was public gardens. Since the reactors were mostly shut down, it was easier for things to grow – especially above the plate where there was more sunlight. Sephiroth had made sure that the flowers and grass were given room and had placed public parks around the plate.

In the centre of the biggest park there was a statue of an angel. One wing of light and one wing of dark, an orb clutched between its hands.

– – – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth had taken him to the memorial stone. It was life-sized, slightly taller than Cloud. The angel looked exactly how Cloud remembered Zeke and it broke his heart to realise that this was all that was left of him.

"This is where Holy landed." Sephiroth told him quietly. "We built the statue around it, sealing it inside... His soul is within that materia, which is within the statue..."

Cloud nodded, eyes trained on the small plaque at the base of the statue.

" _Not all heroes are known well,  
Many do not get known at all_

 _But this is the hero of our people_

 _Zack Strife_

 _He gave his very soul_

 _For the people of this planet_

 _and he will never be forgotten."_

 **AN: I dislike using , so the rest of this series is being posted on archive of our own. I use the same username on there and there is a link in my profile if you wish to find it. There is a WIP sequel that already has several chapters, plus a few side stories and even some artwork. Please check it out!**


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